Americans putting life on hold amid economic anxiety under Trump, poll shows

2 days ago 21

Americans are reconsidering large beingness events including marriage, having children and buying a location amid economical anxiousness successful the opening months of the Trump presidency, according to an exclusive canvass for the Guardian.

Six successful 10 Americans said the system has affected astatine slightest 1 of their large beingness goals, according to the Harris poll, citing either deficiency of affordability oregon anxiousness astir the existent economy.

Though Donald Trump’s tariff policies person lone been successful spot for a fewer weeks, and though the president has temporarily walked backmost connected immoderate of his harshest policies, the findings are a motion that Trump’s economical docket could person semipermanent effects.

The Trump medication has said it wants to promote Americans to person much babies, and is floating a $5,000 “baby bonus” for caller mothers. But its economical policies look to beryllium a large stumbling artifact to that ambition. Of those who primitively planned to person a kid successful 2025, a bulk accidental the existent system has affected their plans successful immoderate way, by either being incapable to spend having a kid (32%) oregon being uncomfortable having 1 successful the existent system (33%).

Bar illustration listing the goals radical person that they present are foregoing due to the fact that of the economy. Such arsenic buying a house, making a ample purchase, having kids.

Large percentages of those surveyed said they wanted to marque large fiscal decision: 45% said they wanted to marque a large acquisition – a car, for example, oregon appliances – and 42% said they wanted to bargain a house.

But 75% of those who said they wanted to bargain a location said the existent system has derailed them.

Buying a location has agelong been seen arsenic the benchmark for the American dream, but has go progressively unaffordable for galore Americans.

Home prices rocketed aft a buying frenzy during the pandemic, erstwhile involvement rates were astatine zero, and person not travel down since. Though mortgage rates person fallen somewhat since their caller highest of astir 7.5%, the mean 30-year owe complaint successful March was 6.7% – much than treble what it was 4 years ago.

The economical anxiousness disproportionately affects the semipermanent goals of younger Americans, who are little apt to ain a location already, beryllium joined oregon person kids. A bulk of Gen Z and millennials renters (68%), for example, said they had a extremity of buying a house, compared to conscionable 29% of renters who are older.

Much of the instability appears to travel from the rising outgo of living: 65% of Americans said they thought the outgo of surviving has worsened since the commencement of the year, and fractional said it had made it much hard to spend their surviving expenses.

A immense bulk (78%) said they had noticed accrued market prices implicit the past fewer months, portion 60% said they had besides noticed monthly bills and mundane essentials getting much expensive.

Although astir fractional (48%) of Republicans said the outgo of surviving has gone up this year, Republicans look to beryllium much optimistic astir the wide authorities of the economy, peculiarly compared to erstwhile Joe Biden was successful the White House.

A enactment illustration of the percent of radical who accidental the US is presently successful recession, implicit time. In 2024, 67% Republicans thought this was true, with Independents and Democrats hovering astir 50%. However aft Donald Trump’s inauguration that sentiment has flipped, with 59% of Democrats, and lone 40% of Republicans agreeing.

When respondents were asked past May whether they thought the US was experiencing a recession, 67% of Republicans said they believed the state was successful a recession. Nearly a twelvemonth later, the fig has dropped to 40% of Republicans.

On the different hand, 49% of Democrats believed the state was successful a recession past May, compared to 59% who deliberation the US successful in a recession now. The US is not successful recession and has not been since February to April 2020, during the Covid pandemic.

Perhaps astir concerning for Trump is that though lone 33% of Republicans judge the US economy is worsening, 64% of independents judge it is getting worse, much successful enactment with Democrats (73%). More independents believed that the system was successful a recession past May (53%) compared to this April (46%), though the power successful sentiment is overmuch smaller than for Republicans.

A barroom illustration of the things radical accidental is going to beryllium astir financially hurtful to their families successful 2025. Tariffs, astatine 29%, it the astir communal response, followed by authorities policies (23%) and companies (12%).

Though Trump has said that his tariffs volition “make America affluent again”, it appears fewer Americans judge him.

Tariffs came retired connected apical successful a database of things that Americans judge volition astir apt wounded their household financially successful 2025. Nearly a 3rd (29%) of respondents, including 39% of Democrats, 28% of independents and 21% of Republicans, said that tariffs volition bash the astir harm. Over 20% said that authorities policies volition beryllium the astir harmful, including 24% of independents.

This survey was conducted online wrong the US by the Harris Poll from 24 to 26 April, 2025, among a nationally typical illustration of 2,102 US adults.

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