Americans overwhelmingly believe the U.S. is spiraling 'out of control' under Trump: New poll

[Wicked Blue]

By Lauren Sforza | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

The U.S. is spinning “out of control” under President Donald Trump, a majority of Americans said in a new poll.

The latest Economist/YouGov poll showed that 71% of Americans believe that things in the country are “out of control” under Trump’s presidency. Just 18% said things were “under control” while another 11% were not sure, according to the poll.

The poll found that large shares of Democrats, independents and even Republicans criticized the current state of the country. Ninety-four percent of Democrats, 71% of independents and 50% of Republicans said the country was “out of control.”

Similarly, 61% of Americans—including 93% of Democrats, 64% of independents and 26% of Republicans—said the U.S. is off on the wrong track. Just 31% said the country was generally headed in the right direction, according to the poll.

https://www.nj.com/politics/2026/01/americans-overwhelmingly-believe-the-us-is-spiraling-out-of-control-under-trump-new-poll.html
(paywall)

[malaise]

1. Duh!

Even MsNOW has brushed him to the side

[fujiyamasan]

2. lol, I read these polls and I'm like wow people really do have a very short memory

Everything that happened during his first time went down the memory hole, and here we are again, just 10 times worse.

[slightlv]

12. You have to wonder where in the crap the rest of those who

were either voting positively or "unsure" come from! The only thing I can figure is these are the hardcore racists/nazi's in this country. Nothing will ever change their attitude because they can't face the fact they're stupid and they did this to themselves. Beyond that, they crave to live under a Hitler-like regime where all decisions are made for them, and they never have to think for themselves. I pity people like that, but I know they're out there... everywhere, it seems! The study of the amygdalas of liberal and "conservatives" showed the truth of that.

[fujiyamasan]

18. Yeah, I get that somewhere around a third of the population is in a cult

And has authoritarian/fascist sympathies.

I don’t get the one third or so that simply can’t make up their fucking mind.

[chouchou]

3. "50% of Republicans said the country was "out of control."

50 percent? The other 50 percent enjoys sitting on a train crossing waiting "The Train is getting larger ..Mom!"

[Fil1957]

16. 50% of Republicans may not sound like much, but is actually HUGE! Anything below 80% for Republicans is low.

[chouchou]

17. Your words are true.

[Clouds Passing]

4. When are the magats going to learn the gqp ruins the economy, the Democrats fix the economy, always

[MLWR]

11. I really think that the vast majority of the rank and file

who are too stupid to vote for their own interests are also too stupid to learn much of anything, so IMO, never.

[Kid Berwyn]

5. All according to plan.

Donald the Doomsday Device

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220953244

I'd add detail, but who's got time to read these days?

[czarjak]

9. Something. Something.

Stranger than fiction!

[Kid Berwyn]

10. Trump Exhaustion Syndrome

by Ashley Parker
The Atlantic, 20 January 2026

Excerpt...

A year into Trump’s second term, the emboldened president’s maximalist strategy—pushing every norm to its most elastic, and then a bit beyond, and from that new breaking point pushing yet again—conjures the boiling-frog theory, in which a frog placed in boiling water will immediately hop out, but a frog placed in cool water that is slowly heated will complacently boil to death. (And yes, I know that this amphibious metaphor for failing to notice incremental negative changes is apocryphal, but the lesson is still apt.)

Or, as the former Trump adviser Steve Bannon put it to me, the Overton window is moving so far, so quickly, that the more apt way to understand Trump’s strategy is: “Fuck the Overton window.”

Bannon continued: “He’s driving deep. Remember, our strategy—I say it every day—is maximalist, a maximalist strategy. You have to take it however deep you can take it and, quite frankly, until you meet resistance. And we haven’t met any resistance.”

Continues...

Source: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/2026/01/trump-first-year-democracy/685658/

[markodochartaigh]

6. So, 50% of Republicans say that

the country was "out of control". The follow up questions should be, "Who do you blame for the country being out of control?" and "Would you still vote for Republicans if the elections were held today?"

[LilElf70]

7. I'm surprised

that the numbers aren't higher. We all know why it isn't........ MAGATS

[Lucky Luciano]

8. 50% of republicans say the country is out of control...

…but only 26% say it’s on the wrong track?

What’s the most logical take on that? Are those 24% saying the country was out of control under Biden and trump is correcting that, but the country is still out of control?!

[newdeal2]

13. Yes

That’s why these headlines are to be taken with a grain of salt.

These MAGAts still think that Trump has more work to do to undue woke Biden’s actions.

[OldBaldy1701E]

14. But, not enough to stop it, I guess. (n/t)

[Magoo48]

15. So, and...