Poll: Majority Say Trump Prioritizes Personal Wealth Over Nation

Most Americans think President Trump cares more about his own wallet than the nation itself. A new nationwide poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, released Tuesday, backs that up hard. More than half of US adults believe Donald Trump and his family have profited inappropriately from holding office since he returned to the White House in 2025.

Over fifty percent say his second term is self-serving because he invests heavily in his own businesses and commercial ventures. Only eleven percent feel he truly represents regular Americans. Roughly one quarter think he focuses on national interests, yet fifty-five percent of Republicans surveyed admitted Trump has prioritised his personal business interests either "a lot" or "some." Half the respondents claim he places zero priority on people like them.

The numbers tell a stark story as Trump's family enterprise rakes in record funds from new ventures enabled by his policies. His June financial disclosure showed a massive post-election influx of foreign and corporate capital into his business empire. Over one billion dollars flowed in from cryptocurrency ventures after he loosened regulation on the industry, plus money from international real estate deals.

During his first year as president, the Trump Organisation made eight real estate deals with authoritarian or one-party foreign states. Some speculate these countries were highly motivated to maintain favourable relations with the US just to keep Trump happy on fronts like trade tariffs, military protection and private business dealings. The administration has repeatedly dismissed concerns over Trump's business conflicts of interest, insisting he acts solely in the interest of Americans.

But public sentiment is souring fast. In late September, a separate Reuters/Ipsos poll found Trump's approval rating had fallen to thirty-two percent, the lowest of his political career. His fellow Republicans are growing frustrated with how he handles the cost of living crisis amid the deeply unpopular Iran war. This drop follows a high point in January 2025 when the newly inaugurated president boasted a forty-seven percent approval rating right after taking office.

Just over forty percent of respondents believe Trump has done something illegal regarding allegations of personal enrichment while in office. Another eighteen percent view his financial dealings as unethical but not illegal. Opinions split sharply along party lines, with Democrats overwhelmingly viewing the actions as illegal compared to about three in ten independents and about one in ten Republicans who largely see his behaviour as justified.

The AP-NORC poll surveyed more than two thousand US adults in late September, revealing a highly polarised view of the administration's ethical conduct. Far more citizens feel the president has neither prioritised the country as a whole nor everyday Americans. The public perception leans heavily critical: most US adults believe growing his own finances has been the north star of Trump's presidency, at least to some extent.

And why should they not? As regulations shift and capital pours in from abroad, ordinary citizens watch their leader build an empire while claiming to serve them all.