In an AP-NORC poll fielded September 24-28, 2026, 65% of US adults said higher prices are the result of President Trump’s policies, while 33% said factors outside his control. Among Republicans, 67% said the causes are beyond his control.
What the poll found
- 65% of US adults said higher-than-usual prices are the result of Trump’s policies; 33% pointed to factors outside his control. Asked the same question in October 2022, 44% of the public said President Biden’s policies caused higher prices.
- 67% of Republicans said higher prices are due to factors beyond the president’s control.
- 17% approve of Trump’s handling of the cost of living. 26% approve of his handling of the economy overall - a new low in AP-NORC polling.
These numbers measure who Americans blame, not what caused the rise. Every figure is attributed to the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
The price backdrop
- Inflation was 3.7% in September 2026, up from 3.4% in August (BLS, October 14, 2026). The gain from August to September was 0.6%, the biggest in five months.
- Gasoline prices are up 34.2% in the 12 months to September 2026 (BLS). The September report said gasoline accounted for over half of the overall increase that month.
- The average price at the pump was $4.33 a gallon in mid-October, per AAA.
- The next CPI report lands November 10 - one week after the November 3 midterm elections.
How the poll was done
The AP-NORC poll surveyed 2,140 US adults from September 24-28, 2026, using NORC’s AmeriSpeak probability-based panel at the University of Chicago - 2,093 online and 47 by phone, in English or Spanish. The margin of sampling error is +/-2.9 percentage points.
Sources
Related
- The last price tag before the vote: CPI at 3.7% - the price-side math this page’s poll data hangs on
- Why your prices may have risen more than the 39% average - why the same inflation lands differently
- Is your raise beating inflation? September 2026 tracker - the running numbers