A new AP-NORC poll conducted April 16–20, 2026 shows only 30 percent of Americans approve of President Trump’s handling of the economy — down from 38 percent in March — while 73 percent describe the national economy as poor and 72 percent say the country is headed in the wrong direction. The numbers represent a notable shift in public sentiment, and for the Greenville-Spartanburg MSA, they carry specific local weight.
Spartanburg County has historically voted Republican by wide margins, and its manufacturing economy once provided a bulwark of stability that reinforced confidence in economic leadership. But the county’s deep ties to BMW, Michelin, and a supply chain that stretches across international trade routes has meant that tariff policy, import costs, and global economic uncertainty register here in ways they may not in less trade-exposed communities. The AP-NORC poll found that approval of Trump’s handling of the cost of living stands at just 23 percent, with 76 percent disapproving — a figure likely resonating with Upstate households facing grocery, fuel, and housing cost increases.
The poll of 2,596 adults carries a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points. It notes that gas prices have risen amid an ongoing conflict in Iran, adding inflationary pressure on top of pre-existing tariff-driven cost increases. Trump’s overall approval rating stands at 33 percent, down slightly from 38 percent in March.
For Spartanburg, the policy variables most directly connected to these approval numbers are the same ones that appear in its city profile: tariffs on BMW imports, the cost of living affecting the roughly 43,000 workers in the BMW supplier ecosystem, and capital investment decisions at Michelin and other manufacturers. Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System, the county’s second-largest employer, also operates in an environment shaped by federal health policy.
Economic analysts note that Spartanburg’s unemployment rate has remained below the national average, and the $1.7 billion BMW EV expansion underway in the region points to continued investment confidence. But the gap between headline job numbers and lived household economic experience — reflected in the AP-NORC data — is one that local officials and business leaders in Spartanburg County are watching with close attention as midterm election dynamics begin to take shape.
What’s Happening in Spartanburg
- What do national approval numbers mean locally?
Spartanburg County has historically leaned Republican, but economic anxiety over prices and job security can shift views — even in reliably conservative areas. - What economic issues matter most to Spartanburg residents?
Surveys consistently show inflation, manufacturing job stability, and healthcare costs rank highest for Upstate SC residents when evaluating economic policy. - How does Spartanburg’s economy compare to the national picture?
Spartanburg’s unemployment rate has tracked below the national average, but rising consumer costs and tariff exposure at major employers are creating new uncertainty.
