Survey Finds Most Americans Oppose Trump's Tariff Policies

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Most Americans now disagree with President Donald Trump's approach to the economy, particularly his trade policies. As reported by Axios, during his more than a decade-long presidency, Trump consistently garnered support from voters on economic matters, despite various controversies. However, the trend seems to have shifted.

Recent polls show increasing concerns for Trump as the American economic outlook becomes more pessimistic. A series of national surveys indicate a decline in approval of Trump's economic management, increased worries about inflation, widespread disapproval of his tariffs, and a generally bleak view of the recession risk.

Historically, Trump has relied on the economy as a political strength, boasting about his business acumen and criticizing the Biden administration's handling of inflation. However, after his administration's aggressive tariff policy sparked market turmoil and global anxiety about economic stability, public sentiment has sharply shifted away from Trump's economic approach.

Fewer Approve of Trump's Economic Agenda

Citing Politico, a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Wednesday found that only 37 percent of Americans approve of Trump's economic agenda, down from 42 percent in January. In a recent Pew Research Center survey, only 45 percent expressed confidence in Trump's economic management, the lowest figure in Pew's tracking of Trump since 2019. This marks a sharp decline from the 59 percent confidence seen after the 2024 election, with the Republican Party's confidence dropping 12 points since November.

The All-America Economic Survey by CNBC, also published this week, showed Trump's worst economic approval rating during his presidency: 55 percent disapproval versus 43 percent approval, marking CNBC's first net negative score in the economic field. The poll highlights deep partisan divides but notes that independents are now 23 points more negative than during Trump's first term in office.

Decline in Support Due to Trump's Tariffs

Support continued to plummet after Trump announced "reciprocal tariffs" on April 2, dubbed ''Liberation Day'' by the administration. Trump argued that these tariffs would rebalance trade relations and rectify economic imbalances. However, the market reaction was swift and negative, prompting a 90-day halt on the tariffs (with a remaining base of 10 percent) and opening the door for further negotiations.

White House spokesperson Kush Desai defended Trump's record, citing recent job reports, inflation, and "trillions of historic investment commitments from industry leaders."

Trump insisted the tariffs would generate billions for the U.S. and support domestic manufacturing, promising, “We’re going to be making money with everyone, and everyone’s going to be happy. We'll be able to lower taxes substantially, and we're going to be proud of ourselves. We're not going to be a laughing stock that got taken advantage of by virtually every country in the world.”

However, Trump's tariffs remain unpopular. Pew found that 59 percent disagreed with the tariff increase, with only 39 percent in favor. The split is sharply partisan: 70 percent of Republican members agree, while 90 percent of Democratic members disagree. CNBC reported a 49 percent disapproval of tariffs overall, with the majority believing that the tariffs are detrimental to American workers, inflation, and the broader economy.

Early global market jitters following the tariff announcement somewhat subsided after the pause, however, economic uncertainty persists as Trump alternately attacks and retreats from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and promises new trade deals that could take months to finalize.

Concerns of a Recession

The broader economic sentiment is growing more negative. The latest Gallup poll reported that 53 percent of Americans believe their financial situations are worsening, with the vote noting a "very pessimistic" public mood. According to Gallup, inflation expectations have surged 11 points since January to 63 percent. CNBC found 60 percent disapproval of Trump's handling of inflation compared to 37 percent approval.

Despite the current U.S. economy not being in a recession, and uncertainty of an impending one, there's widespread pessimism among Americans that a recession might occur.

Reuters/Ipsos found that 76 percent are worried about an upcoming recession, with concerns spreading even among Republican Party members. One in four Republican Party members described Trump's economic approach as "too uncertain." Although Trump's overall job approval has only slightly decreased, he still holds strong support from his base: over 70 percent of Republican Party members still approve of his performance, according to Pew.

Trump Sued by 12 States

According to Axios, a coalition of twelve states has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging its recent tariff policy. These states argue that President Trump unlawfully used the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose import taxes, an action they believe exceeds his legal authority.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. International Trade Court in New York, asserts that only Congress has the constitutional authority to levy tariffs and that the president's actions have made national trade policy subject to his discretion rather than proper legal governance.

The states involved are Oregon, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, and Vermont. They claim that the president can only use the IEEPA when there's an "unusual and extraordinary threat" from foreign sources. They argue that Trump's justification for the tariffs does not meet this threshold and that widespread and fluctuating tariffs have disrupted the constitutional order and brought chaos to the American economy.

In response, White House spokesperson Kush Desai dismissed the lawsuit as a partisan "witch hunt." He stated that the government is committed to fully exercising legal authorities to address national emergencies, such as illegal immigration and the ongoing trade deficit.

This legal action by the twelve states follows similar suits filed by California and other organizations, all questioning the president's authority to impose tariffs without congressional approval.

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