Trump Approval Rating Faces Headwinds as Majority Disapprove of Tariff Handling

A new poll finds the Trump Approval Rating on tariffs is weak: 64% of Americans disapprove of the president's handling of tariffs on imported goods while 34% approve. The survey also shows approval on tariffs and on inflation trail the president's overall standing, and it reveals a split in public trust over who can better reduce the cost of living.

Trump Approval Rating on Tariffs Lags

The survey measured public views of the president's tariff policy and found a clear negative tilt: a near two-to-one disapproval margin on tariffs. The poll notes that approval on tariffs and on handling inflation lag behind the broader approval metric for the president, underscoring that specific economic policies are drawing sharper criticism than general performance.

Importantly, the fieldwork for the poll was completed prior to a U. S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down the president's tariffs. That timing means the findings capture public reaction to the tariff program before the court action altered its legal status.

Split on Cost-of-Living Leadership, Mixed Immigration Views and Perception of Being Out of Touch

On who Americans trust to better handle reducing the cost of living, the poll finds a closely divided public: 32% say they trust the president most, 31% favor congressional Democrats, and 33% trust neither. This even split highlights limited public confidence in existing leadership from either side of the aisle on household economic pressures.

• Trust to reduce cost of living: President 32%, Democrats in Congress 31%, Neither 33%.
• Tariff handling: 64% disapprove, 34% approve.

The survey also captures mixed views on immigration policy and enforcement. Half of respondents express support for deporting all undocumented immigrants currently in the country, while there is broader opposition to current tactics used by the agency primarily responsible for deportations. Separately, a majority of respondents view the president as out of touch with the concerns of most Americans.

Methodology Notes and What Comes Next

The wide-ranging survey includes interviews with 2, 589 U. S. adults and was administered in both English and Spanish. Invitations were sent to 3, 834 panelists, resulting in 2, 589 completed interviews; 56 respondents were removed in quality control for skipping many questions or completing the survey unusually quickly. The questionnaire followed a fixed order for items and used sampling and weighting procedures to align the sample with national benchmarks. The poll's topline was updated with newly released data on approval of the tariff policy.

These findings highlight policy areas where public opinion diverges from the administration's approach. The firm disapproval on tariffs, modest trust advantage on cost-of-living leadership, and mixed signals on immigration enforcement together present a set of communication and policy challenges. Recent headlines framing political events as a tough sell underscore how these specific issue ratings can complicate the broader political messaging environment.

Recent updates indicate the legal status of the tariff program changed after the survey was completed; details and public reaction may evolve as the implications of that ruling unfold.