A majority of Americans disapprove of how Donald Trump is handling tariffs on imported goods, according to a new ABC News/The Washington Post/Ipsos poll conducted shortly before the Supreme Court struck down Trump’s global tariffs.
The survey was carried out from February 12 to 17, with the court’s ruling issued on February 20.
Broad disapproval across demographics
The poll found majorities across income levels, genders and age groups disapprove of Trump’s approach to tariffs. Majorities of white, Black, Hispanic and Asian Americans also expressed disapproval.
Among voters, nearly all who backed former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024 disapprove of Trump’s tariff handling. A majority of those who did not vote in 2024 also disapprove.
Over 9 in 10 Americans who disapprove of Trump oppose how he is handling tariffs.
Partisan divide within GOP
While 75% of Republicans approve of Trump’s handling of tariffs, support drops among self-described non-MAGA Republicans — a group that includes independents who lean Republican but do not identify as MAGA supporters.
Among non-MAGA Republicans, 55% disapprove and 43% approve of Trump’s tariff policies. In contrast, 87% of MAGA Republicans approve of his approach.
education divide
Majorities of Americans with and without college degrees disapprove of Trump’s tariff handling. However, white Americans without college degrees are evenly split. White Americans with college degrees disapprove by more than a two-to-one margin.
Methodology
The ABC News–Washington Post–Ipsos poll was conducted via Ipsos’ probability-based KnowledgePanel among 2,589 US adults. The survey carries a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points, with larger margins for partisan subgroups.
