Americans Lack Confidence in Major Economic Leaders

With the U.S. facing a deadline to increase the nation’s debt limit and the threat of an economic recession looming, Americans lack confidence in a variety of key U.S. leaders on economic matters. Gallup finds between 34% and 38% of U.S. adults expressing a "great deal" or "fair amount" of confidence in President Joe Biden, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and congressional leaders in both major parties to do or recommend the right thing for the economy.

While the percentage of Americans with a great deal or fair amount of confidence is similar across the five leaders, there is more variation in the percentage who say they have almost no confidence in them. Nearly half of Americans say they have almost no confidence in Biden, and 41% say the same about Democratic leaders in Congress.

These results are based on Gallup’s annual Economy and Personal Finance survey, conducted April 3-25. The poll also found that Americans are less optimistic about the state of the U.S. economy than they have been in recent months and that Biden is at a low point in his overall job approval rating.