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MAY HARVARD CAPS / HARRIS POLL: TRUMP APPROVAL HOLDS STEADY AS ATTITUDES TOWARD THE ECONOMY BOUNCE BACK, BUT VOTERS EXPRESS CONCERN HE IS EXCEEDING GUARDRAILS ON TARIFFS AND DEPORTATIONS

News Provided By:

Stagwell Inc.

Published Date

May 19, 2024, 9:00 AM ET

51% OF VOTERS SAY THE ECONOMY IS STRONG TODAY, UP 5 POINTS FROM APRIL

VOTERS VIEW TRUMP’S IMMIGRATION POLICIES AS HIS BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT AND TARIFFS AS BIGGEST FAILURE IN FIRST 100 DAYS AS PRESIDENT

MAJORITY OF VOTERS FAVOR TRUMP’S TRIP TO SAUDI ARABIA

 

NEW YORK and CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) today released the results of the May Harvard CAPS / Harris poll, a monthly collaboration between the Center for American Political Studies at Harvard (CAPS) and the Harris Poll and HarrisX.

President Donald Trump’s approval rating sits at 47% (-1 pts., Apr. 2025), with 87% of Republican voters approving and 83% of Democrats and 50% of Independents disapproving. Approval is higher among male than female voters, with a 17-point gender gap, and among white, rural, and 25-64 y.o. voters. Trump received the strongest approval on immigration (51%) and returning America to its values (51%) and the weakest approval (42%) on tariffs and trade policy and handling inflation (43%). This month’s poll also covered public opinion on the economy, immigration, tariffs, government efficiency, Middle East, and Ukraine. Download key results here.

“The majority of Trump’s policies continue to see strong support especially on immigration and government efficiency, even though there is concern Trump has exceeded guardrails with executive orders and tariffs,” said Mark Penn, Co-Director of the Harvard CAPS / Harris poll and Stagwell Chairman and CEO. “If he is able to successfully lower the price of prescription drugs and hold down the fort on inflation, he will be able to unlock 10% more of voters in his approval rating.”

VOTERS MORE OPTIMISTIC ON THE DIRECTION OF THE COUNTRY AND THEIR PERSONAL FINANCIAL SITUATION

  • 42% of voters say the country is on the right track (+3 pts., Apr. 2025; +16, Nov. 2024).
  • 34% of voters say their personal financial situation is improving (+2), while 39% say their personal financial situation is getting worse (-6), the lowest percentage since October 2021. Republican, male, Black, and 18-44 y.o. voters are more likely than not to say it is improving.
  • The Republican Party’s approval rating reached 52%, the highest approval rating for the party since March 2023.
  • The Democratic Party’s approval rating is at 42%, with more urban voters approving than disapproving (+4 pts. net approve), and more suburban (-22) and rural (-32) voters disapproving.
  • Among Trump’s cabinet members, voters have a more favorable view of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (+9 net favorable), Marco Rubio (+4), and Tulsi Gabbard (+4), and a more unfavorable view of Elon Musk (-8) and Pete Hegseth (-4). Voters are split on Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance.
  • Inflation and the economy remain the top issues for voters across political parties. 40% of voters say inflation is the most important issue to them personally.

MOST OF TRUMP POLICIES CONTINUE TO RECEIVE MAJORITY SUPPORT, INCLUDING STRONGEST SUPPORT FOR LOWERING DRUG PRICES

  • Voters continue to support Trump’s immigration and government efficiency policies, but oppose caps to Medicaid and tariffs on China, Mexico, and Canada. 70% of voters support raising the top income tax rate.
  • 84% of voters support lowering prescription drug prices for Medicare recipients and low-income patients (Democrats: 79%; Republicans: 89%; Independents: 82%).
  • 59% of voters hold Trump responsible for the state of the economy today.
  • Voters are split on whether Trump is making good or bad tariff deals on behalf of the country, but 60% believe he will reach a trade deal with China.
  • 58% of voters say Trump will not solve the Ukraine war, and 59% say the same about the Israel-Hamas war.
  • 40% of voters, a plurality, say making the 2017 Tax Cuts permanent will not make a difference in U.S. government debt, but more voters saying it will increase (35%) rather than decrease (25%) debt.

 

THOUGH VOTERS REMAIN SPLIT ON TARIFFS, VOTERS ARE MORE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE ECONOMY AS MARKET FEARS COOL DOWN

  • 57% of voters do not believe we are in a recession.
  • 50% of voters have confidence Trump’s policies will lead to stronger economic growth, though 54% of voters believe Trump is losing the battle against inflation.
  • Voters are split 50-50 on whether Trump’s policies are making the U.S. economy stronger, leading to more jobs, and bringing more investment, with Independents more pessimistic on the impact of his policies.
  • 57% of voters believe Trump’s tariff policies are harming the economy (Democrats: 87%; Republicans: 22%; Independents: 64%). 49% of voters, a plurality, say his administration went too far with tariffs.
  • 57% of voters believe the Trump administration has some wins to show for its tariff policies, while 55% say they will play out successfully with time.
  • 60% of voters say the U.S. has been taken advantage of by other countries when it comes to trade.
  • Overall, 46% of voters support the administration’s tariff program (+1, Apr. 2025) and 47% oppose it (0), with a plurality of Independents (47%) opposing.

 

MAJORITY OF VOTERS SUPPORT DEPORTING ILLEGAL CRIMINALS BUT WANT DEPORTATIONS TO FOLLOW DUE PROCESS

  • 63% of voters support the administration’s actions to close the Southern border.
  • 75% of voters support deporting illegal criminals, though 53% of voters believe the administration is unfairly deporting people who are not really criminals.
  • 57% of voters support Democratic efforts to stop deportations and ensure hearings and trials take place before deportation, and 59% believe Democrats are defending human rights in doing so. But voters are split on whether illegal immigrations should be deported promptly (51%) or await trial (49%).
  • 63% favor sending convicted and imprisoned illegal immigrants to serve their sentence in another country.
  • 52% of voters say the Trump administration does not have a case to suspend habeas corpus rights.

 

VOTERS WANT CUTS IN GOVERNMENT SPENDING BUT ARE SPLIT ON THE SUCCESS OF DOGE

  • Voters continue to overwhelmingly support moving to balance the budget in the next few years (80%) and reducing government expenditures (78%), with at least a two-thirds majority across parties.
  • 62% of voters believe the current level of U.S. federal government debt is unsustainable (Democrats: 70%; Republicans: 46%; Independents: 72%).
  • Voters are split 50-50 on whether DOGE has been successful in meeting its stated mission so far, with 55% of voters saying it has been effective at cutting spending.
  • 67% of voters support the goal of cutting $1 trillion in government expenditures, but 59% of voters do not believe Elon Musk and DOGE will be able to hit the goal by the end of the year (+2).
  • Voters are unsure of how much DOGE has saved the U.S. government to date, with 51% of voters estimating DOGE has saved under $100 billion – $60 billion less than DOGE’s alleged savings.
  • 54% of voters say Musk and DOGE have gone about making cuts to government expenses in the wrong way so far.

 

VOTERS FAVOR RELATIONS WITH SAUDI ARABIA AND CONTINUE TO SUPPORT ISRAEL BUT HAVE CONCERNS OVER JET FROM QATAR

  • 59% of voters support Trump’s efforts to have strong relations with Saudi Arabia (Democrats: 34%; Republicans: 84%; Independents: 56%); and 52% say Saudi Arabia can be a trusted partner.
  • 54% of voters support Trump’s handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict so far (+3, Apr. 2025).
  • 77% of voters and a majority across age groups support Israel over Hamas.
  • 62% of voters support Trump opening nuclear weapons negotiations with Iran directly (+2), and 39% say such negotiations will lead to a good deal (+7).
  • 62% of voters say Trump’s acceptance of the luxury Boeing 747 from Qatar raises ethical concerns about corruption (Democrats: 85%; Republicans: 40%; Independents: 62%).
  • 59% of voters oppose taking sanctions off the new Syrian government when told the new government is led by a former guerilla accused of terrorism.

 

SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE REMAINS HIGH AS VOTERS WANT TRUMP TO BE TOUGHER ON RUSSIA

  • 66% of voters think Russian President Vladimir Putin is playing games and stalling the U.S. and the West, while 62% of voters believe Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy genuinely wants to end the war.
  • 62% of voters believe the Trump administration should continue to provide weaponry to Ukraine and impose sanctions on Russia (Democrats: 71%; Republicans: 59%; Independents: 56%).
  • 64% of voters believe Ukraine should receive direct security guarantees from the U.S. were it to make concessions to end the war with Russia, including a majority across parties.
  • 59% of voters believe Trump has not been tough enough when dealing with Putin and the Russians.
  • Voters are split 50-50 on whether they are satisfied with Trump’s negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, with 79% of Republicans satisfied and 76% of Democrats and 55% of Independents not satisfied.

 

The May Harvard CAPS / Harris poll survey was conducted online within the United States on May 14-15, 2025, among 1,903 registered voters by The Harris Poll and HarrisX. Follow the Harvard CAPS / Harris poll podcast at https://www.markpennpolls.com/ or on iHeart Radio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other podcast platforms.

About The Harris Poll & HarrisX

The Harris Poll is a global consulting and market research firm that strives to reveal the authentic values of modern society to inspire leaders to create a better tomorrow. It works with clients in three primary areas: building twenty-first-century corporate reputation, crafting brand strategy and performance tracking, and earning organic media through public relations research. One of the longest-running surveys in the U.S., The Harris Poll has tracked public opinion, motivations, and social sentiment since 1963, and is now part of Stagwell, the challenger holding company built to transform marketing.

HarrisX is a technology-driven market research and data analytics company that conducts multi-method research in the U.S. and over 40 countries around the world on behalf of Fortune 100 companies, public policy institutions, global leaders, NGOs and philanthropic organizations. HarrisX was the most accurate pollster of the 2020 U.S. presidential election.

About the Harvard Center for American Political Studies
The Center for American Political Studies (CAPS) is committed to and fosters the interdisciplinary study of U.S. politics.  Governed by a group of political scientists, sociologists, historians, and economists within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University, CAPS drives discussion, research, public outreach, and pedagogy about all aspects of U.S. politics. CAPS encourages cutting-edge research using a variety of methodologies, including historical analysis, social surveys, and formal mathematical modeling, and it often cooperates with other Harvard centers to support research training and encourage cross-national research about the United States in comparative and global contexts. More information at https://caps.gov.harvard.edu/.

 

Contact:
Carrie Hsu
pr@stagwellglobal.com

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May 2025

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April 2025

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APRIL HARVARD CAPS / HARRIS POLL: OVERALL TRUMP JOB APPROVAL REMAINS NET POSITIVE WITH 48% APPROVING, 46% DISAPPROVING

News Provided By:

Stagwell Inc.

Published Date

April 11, 2024, 12:32 PM ET

51% OF VOTERS APPROVE OF TRUMP’S JOB ON IMMIGRATION AND 41% ON TARIFFS AND INFLATION 

VOTERS SPLIT ON TRUMP’S TARIFFS BUT 48% SAY THEY NEED MORE TIME TO WORK 

OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FOR FREE TRADE BUT 58% VIEW CHINA AND OTHER COUNTRIES AS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE U.S. WITH UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES 

78% OF VOTERS SUPPORT REDUCING GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURES BUT WOULD NOT RENEW MUSK PAST 6 MONTHS 

60% OF VOTERS FAVOR DIRECT NEGOTIATIONS WITH IRAN WHILE 71% FAVOR OUTRIGHT DESTRUCTION OF IRAN NUCLEAR WEAPONS FACILITIES 

NEW YORK and CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) today released the results of the April Harvard CAPS / Harris poll, a monthly collaboration between the Center for American Political Studies at Harvard (CAPS) and the Harris Poll and HarrisX.  

President Donald Trump’s approval rating is steady at 48%, with the highest approval on his handling of immigration (51%) and reducing the cost of government (50%), and the lowest on his handling of inflation (41%) and tariffs and trade policy (41%). This month’s poll also covered public opinion on the economy, stock market, government efficiency, and Middle East, as well as an in-depth study on Americans’ views of Trump’s recent tariff policies. Download key results here. 

“Trump is perhaps making one of the biggest gambles of his presidency but voters are willing to give him some time,” said Mark Penn, Co-Director of the Harvard CAPS / Harris poll and Stagwell Chairman and CEO. “Tariffs have raised some questions as inflation remains everyone’s top concern but immigration and government efficiency continue to see positive support.” 

INFLATION AND THE ECONOMY REMAIN TOP ISSUES FOR VOTERS 

  • 39% of voters say the country is on the right track, down 2 points from March 2025 (Democrats: 20%; Republicans: 69%; Independents: 27%). 
  • 45% of voters say their personal financial situation is getting worse (+4), especially among Democrats and Independents, women, Hispanics, and voters over 55 y.o. 
  • The Democratic Party’s approval rating has bounced back to November 2024 levels at 42% (+5 pts., March 2025) but remains 9 points lower than Republican Party approval at 51%.  
  • Inflation and the economy remain the top two issues for voters. Less voters say immigration is a top issue facing the country (-3) while more say taxes are a top issue (+4). 

MAJORITY OF VOTERS CONTINUE TO SUPPORT MOST OF TRUMP’S POLICIES  

  • The majority of voters continue to support Trump’s policies. Deporting illegal immigrants who have committed crimes (74%), closing the border (70%), and eliminating waste in government expenditures (69%) have the highest support among voters; and renaming the Gulf of Mexico (37%) and tariffs on China, Mexico, and Canada (50%) have the lowest. 
  • 52% of voters say Trump is doing a better job than Biden (-2 pts., March 2025; -6 pts., February). 
  • 56% of voters believe Trump is just pushing his agenda as fast and wide as it can rather than intentionally overwhelming the courts with the rapid pace of his policies. 
  • 43% of voters, a plurality, say Trump is doing worse than expected (Democrats: 68%; Republicans: 18%; Independents: 46%).  
  • 61% of voters say Democrats should take more of a wait-and-see attitude. 48% of voters say Democrats should oppose his tariffs and trade policy rather than see how his initiative plays out over the next few weeks.  

VOTERS SPLIT OVER TRUMP’S TARIFFS BUT SAY THEY ARE THE RIGHT IDEA AND REQUIRE MORE PATIENCE TO WORK 

  • 47% of voters oppose Trump’s tariff program while 45% support it.   
  • 48% of voters say the Trump administration’s tariff policies are the right idea but require more patience to work.  
  • 47% of voters say the tariffs have had no impact on them so far, but more voters say the tariffs have hurt (38%) rather than helped (15%) them.  
  • Voters cite increase in prices of everyday purchases (41%) and their retirement money at risk (24%) as the top two ways the tariff policies have affected them. 

STRONG SUPPORT FOR FREE TRADE BUT MISCONCEPTIONS ON SHARE OF IMPORTS IN U.S. ECONOMY 

  • 84% of voters and a majority across parties support free trade. 78% of voters say free trade has been beneficial to the U.S. economy, and 82% say it has been beneficial to them and their family personally.  
  • 66% of voters say tariffs are important to protect jobs in our country today (Democrats: 46%; Republicans: 87%; Independents: 62%).  
  • Voters believe China (Overall: 59%; Democrats: 46%; Republicans: 72%; Independents: 57%), Russia (40%), Japan (32%), Saudi Arabia (30%), and the European Union (29%) have taken the most advantage of the U.S. in terms of trade. 
  • 44% of voters, a plurality, are indifferent on whether the U.S. having a trade deficit is a bad or good thing, but more say it is a bad (35%) than a good (21%) thing. Democrats and Independents are more likely than not to be indifferent while Republicans are more likely to say it is a bad thing.  
  • Most voters overestimate the percentage share of imports in the U.S. economy by at least 10 percent.  
  • 43% of voters are unsure of which party tariffs are historically affiliated with, but more associate tariffs with Republicans (41%) than Democrats (15%). 

MOST VOTERS ARE KEEPING AN EYE ON STOCK MARKET NEWS WITH VIEWS OF RECIPROCAL TARIFFS FOLLOWING PARTISAN LINES 

  • 71% of voters have seen news related to the stock market in the past week, with 55% of voters describing recent trends as broadly negative (Democrats: 67%; Republicans: 40%; Independents: 58%).  
  • 42% of voters say they have a private retirement account like an IRA invested in the stock market, and 23% say they have a pension invested in stocks.  
  • 39% of voters, a plurality, expect the U.S. economy to get worse in the next 12 months. 
  • Voters are split along partisan lines on how they expect their personal financial situation will change (Stay the same: 37% (Independents: 39%); Get worse: 33% (Democrats: 49%); Get better: 30% (Republicans: 46%)).  
  • 37% of voters say the U.S. should maintain tariffs unless other countries reduce their own tariffs, 28% of voters say the U.S. should remove all reciprocal tariffs, and 20% of voters say the U.S. should remove the largest tariffs like those on the EU and China. Republicans (52%) and Independents (39%) are more likely to say the U.S. should maintain, while Democrats (46%) are more likely to favor removal.  
  • Overall, 40% of voters support reciprocal tariffs (Republicans: 67%) while 34% oppose such tariffs (Democrats: 54%; Independents: 38%) 

VOTERS FIND ANTI-TARIFF ARGUMENTS BELIEVABLE BUT ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE CONVINCED BY PRO-TARIFF ARGUMENTS  

  • 64% of voters find it believable that tariffs push competitors and allies to offer better trade deals (Democrats: 48%; Republicans: 85%; Independents: 57%) and that tariffs help U.S. factories grow.  
  • 55% of voters say the fair competition argument and the fact that tariffs from Trump first term added over 11,000 jobs in steel and aluminum make them more likely to support tariffs.  
  • The majority of voters find anti-tariff arguments believable, with tariffs shaking the markets (77%), jacking up everyday costs (75%), sparking trade fights (75%), messing up supply chains (75%), and fueling inflation (75%) as the most believable arguments.   
  • The top two arguments that make voters say they are less likely to support tariffs are that tariffs barely add jobs (43%) and tariffs may cut take-home pay and slow the economy (42%).  
  • Of those who read pro-tariff arguments, 53% of voters opposed Trump’s tariff program, while 54% of voters who read anti-tariff statements opposed the tariffs. 

A MAJORITY OF VOTERS SUPPORT CUTTING GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURES BUT BELEIVE MUSK SHOULD RESIGN WHEN UP FOR RENEWAL  

  • 61% of voters believe the current level of U.S. federal government debt is unsustainable (-7) (Democrats: 62%; Republicans: 51%; Independents: 70%), but 42% of voters are unsure by how much.  
  • The majority of voters continue to support balancing the budget in the next few years (81%). 
  • 67% of voters support the goal of cutting $1 trillion of government expenditures, but 57% of voters do not believe Elon Musk and DOGE will be able to hit the goal by the end of the year.  
  • 58% of voters say DOGE is helping make major cuts in government expenditures (+2). 
  • But 55% of voters say Musk and DOGE have gone about making government spending cuts in the wrong way. 58% of voters believe Musk should resign after his 6-month special government employee status is up for renewal. 

VOTERS WANT TRUMP TO OPEN NUCLEAR WEAPONS NEGOTIATIONS WITH IRAN BUT DO NOT THINK THEY WILL LEAD TO A DEAL  

  • 75% of voters support Israel over Hamas in the conflict (-2), with 51% of voters 18-24 y.o. favoring Hamas.  
  • 51% of voters support Trump’s handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict so far (-3).  
  • 71% of voters say Iran’s nuclear weapons facilities should be destroyed including a majority across parties and age groups. 58% believe the U.S. should support Israel in airstrikes aimed at such a mission (Democrats: 45%; Republicans: 73%; Independents: 54%).  
  • 60% of voters support Trump opening direct negotiations with Iran over their nuclear weapons, though 44%, a plurality, think such negotiations will not lead to a deal (Democrats: 46%; Republicans: 37%; Independents: 49%).  
  • 39% of voters, a plurality, say the 2016 U.S.-Iran Nuclear deal negotiated by the Obama administration was not successful (Democrats: 25%; Republicans: 50%; Independents: 40%). 

The April Harvard CAPS / Harris poll survey was conducted online within the United States on April 9-10, 2025, among 2,286 registered voters by The Harris Poll and HarrisX. Follow the Harvard CAPS / Harris poll podcast at https://www.markpennpolls.com/ or on iHeart Radio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other podcast platforms.   

About The Harris Poll & HarrisX 

The Harris Poll is a global consulting and market research firm that strives to reveal the authentic values of modern society to inspire leaders to create a better tomorrow. It works with clients in three primary areas: building twenty-first-century corporate reputation, crafting brand strategy and performance tracking, and earning organic media through public relations research. One of the longest-running surveys in the U.S., The Harris Poll has tracked public opinion, motivations, and social sentiment since 1963, and is now part of Stagwell, the challenger holding company built to transform marketing. 

HarrisX is a technology-driven market research and data analytics company that conducts multi-method research in the U.S. and over 40 countries around the world on behalf of Fortune 100 companies, public policy institutions, global leaders, NGOs and philanthropic organizations. HarrisX was the most accurate pollster of the 2020 U.S. presidential election. 

About the Harvard Center for American Political Studies
The Center for American Political Studies (CAPS) is committed to and fosters the interdisciplinary study of U.S. politics.  Governed by a group of political scientists, sociologists, historians, and economists within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University, CAPS drives discussion, research, public outreach, and pedagogy about all aspects of U.S. politics. CAPS encourages cutting-edge research using a variety of methodologies, including historical analysis, social surveys, and formal mathematical modeling, and it often cooperates with other Harvard centers to support research training and encourage cross-national research about the United States in comparative and global contexts. More information at https://caps.gov.harvard.edu/. 

 

Contact:
Carrie Hsu
pr@stagwellglobal.com

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March 2025

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MARCH HARVARD CAPS / HARRIS POLL: TRUMP APPROVAL RATING DROPS SLIGHTLY BUT 54% SAY HE IS DOING A BETTER JOB THAN BIDEN AS PRESIDENT

News Provided By:

Stagwell Inc.

Published Date

March 31, 2024, 8:53 AM ET

DEMOCRATIC PARTY APPROVAL REMAINS UNDERWATER WITH 71% OF VOTERS SAYING IT NEEDS NEW MODERATE LEADERS

79% OF VOTERS WANT THE GOVERNMENT TO BALANCE THE BUDGET BY REDUCING EXPENDITURES BUT NEARLY HALF ARE UNSURE BY HOW MUCH

ELON MUSK FAVORABILITY DROPS FROM NEUTRAL TO 10-POINT NET UNFAVORABLE

NEW YORK and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) today released the results of the March Harvard CAPS / Harris poll, a monthly collaboration between the Center for American Political Studies at Harvard (CAPS) and the Harris Poll and HarrisX.

In his second month in office, President Donald Trump’s approval rating is at 49%, 3 points lower than February 2025, with majority approval among Republican, male, 25-64 y.o., white, and rural voters. Most of his policies continue to see strong support, with the deportation of illegal immigrants who have committed crimes (80%), closing the border (74%), and eliminating fraud and waste in government expenditures (72%) most popular. Tariffs on China, Mexico, and Canada (50%) and renaming the Gulf of Mexico (39%) are his least popular policies. This month’s poll also covered public opinion on immigration, separation of powers, the budget, tariffs, and U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and Ukraine. Download key results here.

“There’s still strong support for most of Trump’s policies while Democratic Party approval continues to nosedive,” said Mark Penn, Co-Director of the Harvard CAPS / Harris poll and Stagwell Chairman and CEO. “Opinions are still in formation as people are unsure how tariffs will affect the economy, but voters generally believe he is doing a better job than Biden.”

GENERAL MOOD ABOUT THE DIRECTION OF THE COUNTRY REMAINS MORE OPTIMISTIC THAN BIDEN TERM

  • 38% of voters say the U.S. economy is on the right track, consistent with last month and up 10 points from January 2025.
  • 33% of voters say their personal financial situation is improving (+2 pts. from February 2025), though more Democrats, Independents, women, 18-24 year-olds, Hispanics, and rural voters feel their situation worsening than improving.
  • Inflation, the economy, and immigration remain the top three issues for voters, with 43% of voters saying inflation is the most important issue to them personally.

TRUMP APPROVAL RATINGS SEE SLIGHT DROP FROM LAST MONTH; KEY REPUBLICANS SEE MIXED FAVORABILITY

  • 42% of voters say Trump is doing worse than expected (+7 pts, Feb. 2025), but 54% say Trump is doing a better job than Joe Biden as President (Democrats: 19%; Republicans: 89%; Independents: 50%).
  • Trump’s approval ratings on key issues have dropped across the board, with voters most approving of his performance on immigration (53%), reducing the cost of the government (49%), and returning America to its values (49%).
  • Voters have a more favorable view of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (+7 more favorable than unfavorable), and a more unfavorable view of Elon Musk (-10) and Pete Hegseth (-5). Voters are split on Marco Rubio and Trump.

DEMOCRATIC PARTY APPROVAL RATINGS REMAIN AT RECORD-LOW; MOST SAY THE PARTY NEEDS NEW MODERATE LEADERS

  • 37% of voters approve of the Democratic Party (the lowest since at least March 2018 aside from February 2025 (36%)), with the majority of voter groups other than Democrats and Black voters disapproving. 34% of Democrats and 43% of Black voters disapprove.
  • 71% of voters say the Democratic Party needs new moderate figures to lead the party into the 2026 midterms and 2028 election, including 57% of Democrat voters.
  • 55% of voters support moderate Democrats who are willing to compromise with Trump on issues (Democrats: 27%; Republicans: 78%; Independents: 59%) over Democrats who want to fight harder against the administration.
  • 57% of voters approve of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other Democrats supporting the GOP spending bill that funds the government until September 30 rather than holding the line on Democratic demands risking government shutdown (Democrats: 46%; Republicans: 71%; Independents: 51%).

MIXED VIEWS ON CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF ILLEGAL, STUDENT VISA, AND GREEN CARD MIGRANTS

  • 58% of voters support birthright U.S. citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants (Democrats: 80%; Republicans: 40%; Independents: 56%), with 64% and a majority across parties believing it to be a constitutional requirement.
  • 62% of voters say illegal immigrants should not have the same First Amendment rights as U.S. citizens and should be subject to deportation if they support causes counter to U.S. foreign policy.
  • But 53% of voters say legal migrants on student visas have such rights, and 63% of voters say the same for green card holders (Democrats: 75%; Republicans: 40%; Independents: 64%).
  • 69% of voters believe the federal government should have the authority to revoke green cards and deport individuals if it can prove active support for U.S.-designated terrorist organizations like Hamas (Democrats: 55%; Republican: 86%; Independents: 64%).

MAJORITY OF VOTERS BELIEVE POWER TO HALT A NATIONWIDE PROGRAM SHOULD BE RESERVED FOR A PANEL OF MULTIPLE JUDGES

  • 56% of voters say the administration is exceeding its authority and getting hit with fair injunctions restraining its powers (Democrats: 73%; Republicans: 40%; Independents: 56%).
  • 52% of voters say the president should be able to deport suspected members of Venezuelan criminal gangs without a court trial.
  • 50% of voters believe a federal judge has the authority to turn around military planes under suspicion of wrongful immigration procedures.
  • 52% of voters say federal judges are in general acting appropriately within their authority (Democrats: 66%; Republicans: 41%; Independents: 49%).
  • But 69% of voters and a majority across parties say the power to halt a nationwide program should be reserved for a panel of judges rather than a single federal judge.

AMERICANS WANT TO BALANCE THE BUDGET AND CUT DOWN GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURES BUT DON’T KNOW HOW MUCH TO CUT AND WHETHER MUSK AND DOGE ARE HELPING

  • The majority of voters continue to say the current level of U.S. federal government debt is unsustainable (68%), the government should move to balance the budget in the next few years (83%), and it should do so by reducing government expenditures rather than increasing taxes (79%). But the plurality of voters (47%) are unsure how much expenditure to cut.
  • 63% of voters perceive government expenditures are filled with waste, fraud, and inefficiency.
  • 68% of voters support the goal of cutting $1 trillion of government expenditures, but only 42% believe Musk and DOGE will be able to hit the goal by the end of the year.
  • 56% of voters say DOGE and Musk are helping make major cuts in government expenditures (Democrats: 33%; Republicans: 83%; Independents: 50%).

VOTERS BELIEVE U.S. SHOULD RESET TRADE AND TARIFF POLICIES WITH CHINA, MEXICO, AND CANADA

  • Voters are split on whether Trump’s tariffs will end on better terms for the U.S. (51%) or if they will be counterproductive and worsen the economy (49%).
  • 59% of voters say the U.S. should reset trade and tariff policies with China, Mexico, and Canada (Democrats: 45%; Republicans: 72%; Independents: 60%).
  • The majority of voters believe China (67%) and Mexico (53%) are taking advantage of the U.S. in trade and tariff policies, while 54% believe Canada is acting fairly.

U.S. ACTIONS AGAINST IRAN AND HOUTHI TERRORISTS RECEIVE SUPPORT BUT MOST SAY IT WAS WRONG TO HOLD DISCUSSION ON SIGNAL APP

  • Support for Israel over Hamas in the conflict (77%) remains unchanged. 54% of voters support Trump’s handling of the conflict (+21 points, Biden in January 2025).
  • 72% of voters support destroying Iran’s nuclear weapons facilities, and 59% of voters say the U.S. should support Israel in airstrikes to do so.
  • 71% of voters support the administration’s air strikes against Houthi terrorists who were firing missiles at U.S. warships and blocking shipping at the Suez Canal (Democrats: 58%; Republicans: 86%; Independents: 68%), with 60% of voters agreeing the U.S. was right to engage rather than leave it to Europe.
  • 60% of voters, however, say it was wrong to hold the discussion on Houthi strikes over the Signal app. 56% believe the journalist was added deliberately.
  • 54% of voters think the Signal app incident is a big deal with major ramifications (Democrats: 70%; Republicans: 41%; Independents: 52%) and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz should be fired.

MOST VOTERS WANT AN END TO THE WAR IN UKRAINE BUT ATTITUDES TOWARD TRUMP NEGOTIATIONS ARE MIXED

  • 70% of voters want Ukraine to negotiate a settlement over continuing the war against Russia.
  • 56% of voters are satisfied with how Trump is managing negotiations to end the war.
  • 53% of voters do not perceive Trump as abandoning Ukraine in favor of Russia (Democrats: 29%; Republicans: 73%; Independents: 55%).
  • Voters are split on whether Trump has been too tough on dealing with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Too tough: 35%; Not tough enough: 34%; About right: 31%), but a majority (61%) think he has not been tough enough on dealing with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The March Harvard CAPS / Harris poll survey was conducted online within the United States on March 26-27, 2025, among 2,746 registered voters by The Harris Poll and HarrisX. Follow the Harvard CAPS / Harris poll podcast at https://www.markpennpolls.com/ or on iHeart Radio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other podcast platforms.

About The Harris Poll & HarrisX

The Harris Poll is a global consulting and market research firm that strives to reveal the authentic values of modern society to inspire leaders to create a better tomorrow. It works with clients in three primary areas: building twenty-first-century corporate reputation, crafting brand strategy and performance tracking, and earning organic media through public relations research. One of the longest-running surveys in the U.S., The Harris Poll has tracked public opinion, motivations, and social sentiment since 1963, and is now part of Stagwell, the challenger holding company built to transform marketing.

HarrisX is a technology-driven market research and data analytics company that conducts multi-method research in the U.S. and over 40 countries around the world on behalf of Fortune 100 companies, public policy institutions, global leaders, NGOs and philanthropic organizations. HarrisX was the most accurate pollster of the 2020 U.S. presidential election.

About the Harvard Center for American Political Studies
The Center for American Political Studies (CAPS) is committed to and fosters the interdisciplinary study of U.S. politics.  Governed by a group of political scientists, sociologists, historians, and economists within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University, CAPS drives discussion, research, public outreach, and pedagogy about all aspects of U.S. politics. CAPS encourages cutting-edge research using a variety of methodologies, including historical analysis, social surveys, and formal mathematical modeling, and it often cooperates with other Harvard centers to support research training and encourage cross-national research about the United States in comparative and global contexts. More information at https://caps.gov.harvard.edu/.

Contact:
Carrie Hsu
pr@stagwellglobal.com

SOURCE Stagwell Inc.

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March 2025

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2025 biden DOGE foreignpolicy healthcare immigration Inflation Israel Hamas Conflict March primaries Signalgate tariffs Topline trump Trump Administration Ukraine Crosstabs keyresults