Seeking bargains amid holiday inflation

Many Americans are tapping into savings and feeling bad about economy, poll says.

- By JosH Boak AND AMELIA THOMSON-DEVEAUX

ABOUT HALF of Americans say it's harder to afford holiday gifts. Above, a Kohl's shopper in Woodstock, Ga.

(MEGAN VARNER Associated Press)

This holiday season isn’t quite so merry for American shoppers as large shares are dipping into savings, scouring for bargains and feeling like the overall economy is stuck in a rut under President Trump, a new AP-NORC poll finds.

The vast majority of U.S. adults say they’ve noticed higher than usual prices for groceries, electricity and holiday gifts in recent months, according to the survey from the Associated Press - NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Roughly half of Americans say it’s harder than usual to afford the things they want to give as holiday gifts, and similar numbers are delaying big purchases or cutting back on nonessential purchases more than they would normally.

It’s a sobering assessment for Trump. who returned to the White House in large part by promising to lower prices, but inflation remains a threat to his popularity just as it did for Democrat Joe Biden's presidency. The poll’s findings look similar to an AP-NORC poll from December 2022, when Biden was president and the country was grappling with higher inflation — rates. Trump’s tariffs have added to inflationary pressures and generated anxiety about the U.S. economy’s stability, keeping prices at levels many Americans find frustrating.

The president has insisted there is “no” inflation and the U.S. economy is booming, as he expressed frustration that the public feels differently.

“When will people understand what is happening?” Trump said Thursday on Truth Social. “When will Polls reflect the Greatness of America at this point in time, and how bad it was just one year ago?”