Cost‑of‑living approval diverges from overall approval

The polling average shows Trump’s general net approval at roughly -18, while his approval on handling the cost of living sits near -41, a much larger gap than usual. That divergence suggests issue‑specific disapproval (economics/inflation) is driving overall unpopularity and may forecast sharper electoral penalties than aggregate approval figures imply. — If economic issue ratings diverge so strongly from overall approval, they become the more accurate short‑term predictor of voter behavior and midterm/primary dynamics.