New Poll: Women Blame Trump for Cost-of-Living Crisis

Washington, DC — A new National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) poll finds that many Americans report being financially worse off compared to a year ago. The poll also found that an overwhelming majority of voters who say the country is off track on inflation and the-cost-of living blame Donald Trump, particularly women.

“Women and families know exactly who is responsible for higher costs and attacks on our freedoms” said Uma Mehta Iyer, chief external affairs officer at NWLC. “This administration is for sale to the highest bidder and has taken a chainsaw to our civil rights and the systems that everyday families depend on to survive. Americans—and especially women—are seeing the cruel consequences of the Trump-Vance Project 2025 agenda and all the ways that it’s making their lives worse.”

Read the full polling memo here and see below for highlights:

62% of adults say the country is on the wrong track when it comes to inflation and the cost of living, including 66% of women; 82% of those respondents blame Trump.

Many Americans also report being worse off financially than a year ago:

  • 42% say they are worse off in their ability to afford everyday needs, compared to 27% who say they are better off.
  • 38% say they are worse off when it comes to saving money, and 37% say they are worse off in affording health care.

Families and caregivers are feeling the strain:

  • 57% of adults say it is harder to raise a child now than a year ago, including 61% of women, 68% of Latinas, and 64% of Black women.

Many Americans say they have lost rights under Trump:

  • 43% of women, including 54% of Black women, and 71% of LGBTQ+ adults say they have fewer rights now than a year ago.

At the same time, Americans strongly support policies that ease costs, particularly caregiving costs:

  • 74% of parents with children under 18 say making high-quality child care affordable would help their family.
  • 85% support guaranteeing access to affordable long-term care for older adults and disabled people, including 86% of women.
  • 85% of adults say they would support policies to help people afford health insurance, including 86% of women.

The poll was conducted January 9–21, 2026.

NWLC recently released a report summarizing the first year of the Trump administration and his attacks on women and LGBTQ+ people.

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