Trump Grades His Own Economy "A+++++" as Public Opinion Diverges

In a December 2025 interview with Politico, Trump said that if he graded his own economic performance, he would give himself an "A-plus-plus-plus-plus-plus." The self-assessment came as multiple surveys showed deep public dissatisfaction: a Gallup poll put approval of his economic handling at 36 percent, a CBS News/YouGov poll found only 32 percent rated the economy as good, and a Fox News poll found 76 percent described conditions as "not so good" or "poor."

The gap reflects a persistent disconnect between administration messaging and lived experience. While GDP growth and stock market performance have remained relatively strong, those aggregate gains have not eased public concern over housing, food, healthcare, and other everyday costs.

The episode is emblematic of a broader pattern in the second term: bullish rhetorical claims about economic success clashing with survey data showing most Americans feel the opposite, at a time when tariffs and inflation-linked costs continued to weigh on household budgets.