While it’s not soaring, inflation has been tough to bring down during Trump’s first year back in the White House. Trump’s approval rating on the economy hit a new low of 36 percent, according to a recent NPR/PBS/Marist poll. Tax refunds could help grow the economy, especially since Republicans extended Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, economists say. Others worry that Trump’s battle with the Federal Reserve, which helps set interest rates, will actually make things more expensive by creating uncertainty. The World Bank predicted this week that the global economy could slow over the next decade in part due to Trump’s tariffs.

Source: Washington Post January 15, 2026 20:47 UTC