NBC News Poll Shows Trump Wins Biden Voter Support On Inflation, Tariffs, Jobs

Voters trust Donald Trump more than President Joe Biden, according to the latest report, dealing with inflation and the cost of living are their top concerns about the United States, according to an NBC News poll.

A national poll of 1,000 registered voters found that 52% of respondents said Trump would do a better job of tackling inflation and the cost of living, while 30% said the same about Biden.

The survey, conducted from April 12 to 16, was followed a few days later by an expected inflation report, indicating a gradual recovery in consumer prices. Trump’s economic policies were attacked immediately after the revelations.

With consumer prices heating up again, the Biden administration is holding back on inflation and focusing more on other aspects of the economy: jobs, tariffs and taxes.

Biden’s heightened focus on these issues was evident last week when he toured the key battleground state of Pennsylvania.

Biden announced he would triple his endorsement during a speech in Pittsburgh on Wednesday. Concerns over tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum imports fueled its growth as economic hawks face China.

A day earlier, in Scranton, Pa., Biden focused on tax legislation and jobs: “Only two presidents in American history have left office with fewer jobs than they took office: Herbert Hoover and, yes, Donald’s Herbert Hoover ‘Trump.”

The speeches came after Biden blasted for months arguing that businesses are to blame for stubbornly high prices and sticky inflation, blaming them for price increases and “contraction inflation,” the practice of selling smaller quantities of an item at the same price.

However, with consumer prices fluctuating, Biden’s recent comments indicate he is working to bring other economic issues and data to the minds of voters.

For example, when Trump slammed Biden’s economy, the president doubled down on his claim that the United States “has the best economy in the world.” In fact, the United States actually leads important indicators such as gross domestic product and the unemployment rate among advanced economies.

But voters are not so easily swayed from their feelings about inflation and the cost of living.

Only 11% of respondents cited “jobs and the economy” as the most critical issue facing the country ahead of the November election. Meanwhile, 23% of respondents, the largest share, said inflation and the cost of living were their top concerns — two issues most said Trump would do a better job of managing.

Overall, the NBC poll showed Biden appears to be holding Trump’s lead, echoing similar results. A New York Times/Siena College poll conducted earlier this month. The NBC poll showed Trump leading Biden by two points in a head-to-head matchup, up from a five-point lead in January. Polls have a margin of error of +/- 3.10%.

But voters’ fond memories of the Trump economy have been a thread in the primary polls and continue to weigh on Biden’s momentum. Despite Biden’s efforts to refocus the conversation on other economic issues, inflation appears to be an inescapable obstacle to gaining public trust.