A Harris Poll published in The Guardian on Monday found that 45% of Americans believe their financial security is getting worse. Just 20% of respondents said their financial security is improving, the poll finds.
More than half of Democrats (69%) and Independents (58%) who responded to the poll believe the country is in a recession. Only 45% of Republicans said the same, according to the poll.
The United States is not in a recession, which is defined when there is two quarters (six months) of real negative GDP growth. In fact, the GDP grew by 4.3% in the third quarter of 2025, according to CBS News.
Nevertheless, the poll’s findings reflect a country that is growing more sour with the economy, despite President Donald Trump’s repeated attempts to allay concerns about the cost of living.
During a recent interview with Politico, Trump gave himself an “A plus plus-plus-plus-plus-plus” on the economy.
At a campaign-style rally in Pennsylvania earlier this month, Trump claimed that consumer prices are falling “tremendously” according to the BBC.
Data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, however, show that prices aren’t falling but increasing — albeit at a slower rate.
In November, the rate of inflation for prices on all goods was 2.7%, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The inflation rate is lower than September’s (3%) but remains higher than the Federal Reserve’s desired number of 2%. Inflation statistics for October were not released due to a lapse in funding caused by a government shutdown, according to the Bureau.
A majority of Democrats (76%), Independents (72%) and Republicans (55%) who responded to the Harris Poll blame the government for prices increasing.
The Harris Poll featured a sample size of 2,180 US adults.