MAJORITY IN US SAY TRUMP PUTS PERSONAL FORTUNE AND ALLIES AHEAD OF COUNTRY, POLL FINDS

Mon 19 October 2026:

Survey Finds Majority See Second Term as Focused on Business Interests

A new nationwide poll indicates that most American adults think President Donald Trump has put his own financial interests and those of his close associates before the nation’s needs since returning to the White House in 2025.

Conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and released Tuesday, the survey shows public views of the Republican president leaning strongly critical. More than half of those polled say Trump has focused on his own business and commercial activities “a lot” during his second term. About one quarter say he has prioritized the country’s interests, while just 11 percent believe he represents ordinary Americans. Among Republicans, 55 percent said Trump has prioritized his personal business interests “a lot” or “some.”

Half of all respondents said Trump has given zero priority to people “like them.”

Record Business Gains Tied to Policies Draw Attention

The findings come as Trump’s family business reports record revenue from new ventures linked to his policies. The poll suggests most adults view growing his personal wealth as a central focus of the presidency, at least to some degree.

Trump’s June financial disclosure showed large inflows of foreign and corporate money into his business empire after the election, mainly from more than $1 billion in cryptocurrency projects following his easing of industry rules, along with international real estate deals.

In his first year in office, the Trump Organisation — the family’s multinational company focused on property development and global brand licensing — completed eight real estate agreements with authoritarian or one-party foreign governments. Some observers suggest these nations sought to maintain good relations with the United States to influence Trump on issues such as trade tariffs, military support, and private business matters.

The administration has repeatedly rejected concerns about conflicts of interest, stating that Trump acts only in the interest of Americans.

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Approval Falls to Career Low as Economic and War Issues Persist

A separate Reuters/Ipsos poll in late September found Trump’s approval rating at 32 percent — the lowest of his political career — as some Republicans grew unhappy with his approach to the cost of living amid the deeply unpopular Iran war.

This decline follows a high of 47 percent approval in January 2025, shortly after he took office.

Ethics Views Split Sharply Along Party Lines

The AP-NORC survey of more than 2,000 US adults in late September found highly polarized opinions on the administration’s ethical conduct, with far more people saying the president has not prioritized either the country overall or everyday Americans.

Just over 40 percent of respondents believe Trump has “done something illegal” regarding claims of personal enrichment in office, while another 18 percent call his financial dealings “unethical but not illegal.”

Views on the legality of his financial practices divide sharply by party. Democrats overwhelmingly call the actions illegal, compared with about three in 10 independents and about one in 10 Republicans, most of whom see his conduct as justified.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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