A new Pew Research Center survey reveals widespread public disapproval of the Trump administration’s tariff hikes, with partisan divides reflecting deeper economic anxieties among Americans.
A large plurality of Americans say they oppose the Trump administration’s broad tariff increases and expect the measures to do more harm than good, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.
The poll, conducted Jan.20-26,2026, of 8,512 U.S. adults on the Center’s Am...
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erican Trends Panel finds 60% disapprove of the administration substantially increasing tariffs, including 39% who say they strongly disapprove, while 37% express approval and just 13% strongly approve. The results mirror patterns seen in earlier Pew polling and other national surveys that recorded widespread public unease with the tariff push. According to the report by Pew Research Center, views have remained largely unchanged since President Trump unveiled the expansive tariff policy in April 2025.
Partisan divisions are stark. Roughly seven-in-ten Republicans and Republican-leaning independents (71%) back the tariff increases; 28% of Republicans disapprove. By contrast, 93% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents disapprove, with 70% expressing strong disapproval. Those splits persist in assessments of the long-term impact of the policy.
About half of respondents say the tariffs will be mostly negative for the country (51%) and for them and their families (52%) over the coming years. Democrats overwhelmingly expect negative outcomes for both the nation and their personal circumstances, 84% in each case, while Republican respondents are more divided. Nearly half of Republicans (49%) believe the tariffs will benefit the country, though fewer (36%) expect primarily positive effects for themselves and their families; many Republicans foresee mixed results.
The Pew findings sit alongside other national polling showing public scepticism about the tariffs and broader concerns about economic management. A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll in April 2025 found roughly two-thirds of Americans disapproved of Mr Trump’s handling of tariffs, while a Reuters/Ipsos survey reported modest overall approval for his handling of the economy. Financial and public-opinion coverage by CNBC and reporting by PBS highlighted related worries among the public about inflation, potential recession and the wider economic consequences of protectionist measures.
Industry data and economic commentary cited in those reports stressed that tariffs can raise input costs for businesses and consumer prices for households, complicating trade-offs between protecting domestic industries and avoiding higher inflation. The Pew report itself places the tariff debate in a broader context of public attitudes toward the economy, noting persistent dissatisfaction and concern about economic conditions.
The contrast between party coalitions’ views underscores the political polarisation surrounding trade policy: Republicans largely frame the tariffs as beneficial to domestic industry and national interest, while Democrats characterise them as economically damaging for the country and households. According to the report by Pew Research Center, these opposing perceptions have remained steady over the past year, suggesting the tariff question is likely to remain a salient and divisive issue as economic and political debates continue.
Source: Noah Wire Services
