November 2025
November 2025
NOVEMBER HARVARD CAPS / HARRIS POLL: 75% OF VOTERS OPPOSE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, UP 5 PTS. FROM SEPTEMBER, WHILE CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL FALLS TO LOWEST IN MORE THAN ONE YEAR
News Provided By:
Stagwell Inc.
Published Date
November 10, 2025, 13:21 AM ET
RATINGS OF DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS, AND PRESIDENT ALL IN LOW FORTIES
TRUMP POLICIES LARGELY FAVORED WITH EXCEPTION OF TARIFFS BUT APPROVAL DECLINING TO 44% AMID ECONOMIC CONCERN AND SHUTDOWN
57% OF VOTERS CHARACTERIZE THE ECONOMY AS WEAK, A 6 PT. INCREASE FROM SEPTEMBER
OFF-CYCLE ELECTION MESSAGE: GOP NEEDS TO BROADEN ITS BASE; ZOHRAN MAMDANI’S POLICIES REJECTED BY A MAJORITY OF VOTERS ACROSS THE NATION
TWO-THIRDS OF VOTERS SEE MADURO’S REGIME AS A THREAT TO U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY AND 81% SUPPORT REMOVING HIM FROM OFFICE
NEW YORK and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Nov. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) today released the results of the November 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 dropped to a new low of 44%, 2 points down from September. Trump’s job approval is highest on fighting crime in U.S. cities (49%) and immigration (47%), and lowest on handling inflation (39%) and tariffs and trade policy (40%). This month’s poll also covered public opinion on the off-cycle elections around the country, economy, government shutdown, Israel-Hamas conflict, war in Ukraine, and Venezuela. Download the key results here.
“Keeping the government shutdown has put people in an increasingly negative mood,” said Mark Penn, Co-Director of the Harvard CAPS / Harris poll and Stagwell Chairman and CEO. “Voters support the Republican policy position, but with the shutdown, a worsening perception of the economy, discontent with tariffs, health care a key concern, and people not getting their paychecks – this is a deteriorating situation the White House has to fix.”
GOP AND CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL DROP AS CONCERNS ON THE ECONOMY GROW
- 57% of voters say the U.S. economy is weak (+6 pts., September 2025).
- 35% of voters say the country is on the right track (-5).
- The Congressional approval rating dropped again to 27%, its lowest point since June 2024 (-5).
- The Republican Party approval rating is at 44% (-3), while the Democratic Party approval is at 43% (+1).
- Inflation and affordability (+3), and the economy and jobs (+4) remain the top two most important issues facing the country today according to voters.
- 48% of voters say inflation is the top issue for them personally (+5).
MOST TRUMP POLICIES CONTINUE TO SEE MAJORITY SUPPORT THOUGH SOME CONCERN OVER DETERIORATING INDEPENDENCE IN GOVERNMENT
- Trump’s policies remain popular, with 16 of 18 policies receiving majority support. Lowering drug prices (85%), deporting illegal immigrants who have committed crimes (79%), and cutting government waste (75%) are the most popular; while Medicaid requirements (44%), tariffs (50%), and deploying National Guard in cities (51%) are the least popular.
- 56% of voters believe that Trump has exceeded his authority as president. 51% say Trump is operating like a fascist dictator (+3).
- 59% of voters say Trump is not abiding by all court rulings, and 43% think that the administration works with Congress less than previous administrations.
- 56% of voters oppose President Trump’s construction of a new ballroom at the White House.
VOTERS FEEL EFFECTS OF GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
- 75% of voters oppose the government shutdown (+5), with 53% placing the blame on Republicans more than Democrats.
- 56% of voters think the Republicans will win the government shutdown (-6).
- 48% say the government shutdown has affected them personally, and 55% say the government shutdown is hurting the economy a lot.
- 74% of voters believe extending the Obamacare subsidies should be debated as part of a separate appropriations bills process. 67% say Democrats should end the shutdown without Obamacare funds.
- 44% of voters support the Senate’s filibuster rule. 37% oppose Republican leaders who want to scrap the filibuster to end the shutdown.
VOTERS SEE BOTH PARTIES AS BECOMING MORE EXTREME AND FARTHER FROM THEIR VIEWS, WANT HEALTH INSURANCE AND FOOD SECURITY
- 43% of voters, a plurality, say the Democratic Party today is moving farther from their own views; 45%, also a plurality, say the same of the Republican Party.
- 61% of voters say the Republican Party today is more of a MAGA/Trump party, while voters are split on whether the Democratic Party is more of a mainstream liberal party (37%) or socialist party (34%).
- 50% say that the Democratic Party understands and prioritizes the issues that matter most to them well; 46% say the same of the Republican Party.
- 46% of voters say they and their family need help with health insurance the most from an outside resource, followed by food security (40%).
OFF-CYCLE ELECTIONS POINT TO NEED OF GOP PARTY TO BROADEN ITS BASE WHILE MAJORITY ACROSS PARTIES REJECT MAMDANI’S POLICIES
- 63% say that the GOP needs to broaden its positions to appeal to more people in the middle.
- 50% of voters think that Zohran Mamdani represents the Democratic Party today (Democrats: 65%; Republicans: 47%; Independents: 38%). 51% say that the Democratic Party moved too far to the left.
- 59% of voters would not consider voting for Mamdani after reading policies (Democrats: 33%; Republicans: 78%; Independents: 65%). A strong majority of voters, including a majority across political parties, think houses, stores, and factories should be left to private enterprise and the market (77%); believe Israel is the homeland of the Jewish people (74%); support increases in police funding (71%); and believe prostitution should be kept illegal (64%). 67% of voters oppose open borders (Democrats: 49%; Republicans: 79%; Independents: 72%).
VOTERS BELIEVE HAMAS IS NOT RESPECTING TRUMP’S PEACE DEAL
- 53% of voters support Trump’s handling of the Israeli-Hamas conflict so far, though 59% say Trump are skeptical of whether Trump will be able to keep peace between Israel and Hamas.
- 71% of voters favor the deal brought together by the Trump administration to secure the safe return of the Israel hostages and end the hostilities in Gaza, and 65% support Trump’s 21-point peace plan.
- 51% of voters say Israel is not respecting the deal with Hamas, while 66% say Hamas is not respecting the deal with Israel. 57% say that Arab governments are not respecting the deal.
- 74% of voters say that the deal should require Hamas to completely disarm and disband as part of the solution to conflict, and 51% say Arab governments should be responsible for ensuring Hamas disarms.
- 68% of voters say the long-term answer to the Israeli-Palestinian dispute is for there to be two states: Israel and Palestine.
CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR SANCTIONS ON RUSSIA AND SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE
- 65% of voters support Trump’s efforts to end the war in Ukraine, though 63% say Trump will not solve Ukraine.
- 72% of voters support the Trump administration sanctioning Russia’s top oil and gas companies to get President Vladimir Putin to agree to an immediate ceasefire. 72% support additional economic sanctions on Russia to try to force it to end the war (-5).
- 77% of voters say Europe should stop buying oil from Russia and buy it from the US instead if it were practical. 58% support punitive tariffs on governments who buy oil and gas from Russia.
- 65% of voters say the Trump administration should continue to provide weaponry to Ukraine and impose further economic sanctions on Russia.
STRONG MAJORITY OF VOTERS FAVOR ARREST AND REMOVAL OF MADURO FROM OFFICE
- 63% of voters say Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro should be removed from office. When given context of Maduro’s election fraud and narco-terrorism indictment, 81% of voters say he should be removed.
- 67% of voters think the actions of the Maduro regime in Venezuela threaten U.S. national security.
- 73% of voters say the U.S. should try to arrest Maduro and take him to the U.S. to face trial.
The November Harvard CAPS / Harris poll survey was conducted online within the United States on November 4-6, 2025, among 2,000 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
September 2025
September 2025
September 2025
SEPTEMBER HARVARD CAPS / HARRIS POLL: 70% OF VOTERS OPPOSE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, WITH 65% IN FAVOR OF DEMOCRATIC CONCESSIONS
News Provided By:
Stagwell Inc.
Published Date
October 6, 2025, 9:28 AM ET
TRUMP JOB APPROVAL STEADY AT 46% WHILE CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL FALLS 5 PTS. FROM AUGUST
MOST VOTERS UNDERESTIMATE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND OVERESTIMATE INFLATION
85% OF VOTERS SAY CELEBRATION OVER KIRK’S DEATH BY MEDIA PERSONALITIES WAS INAPPROPRIATE
71% OF VOTERS SUPPORT SINKING SOUTH AMERICAN SHIPS CARRYING DRUGS INTO THE COUNTRY
34% OF AMERICANS FEEL THEY WILL EVENTUALLY LIVE THE AMERICAN DREAM AND 24% BELIEVE THEY ARE LIVING THE AMERICAN DREAM
78% OF VOTERS SAY AMERICANS ARE BETTER OFF WITH FREE ENTERPRISE RATHER THAN SOCIALISM
56% OF VOTERS SUPPORT TRUMP’S GAZA PEACE PLAN
NEW YORK and CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) today released the results of the September 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 at 46%. Trump’s job approval is highest on fighting crime in U.S. cities (50%), immigration (49%), and returning America to its values (48%), and lowest on handling inflation (40%) and tariffs and trade policy (40%). This month’s poll also covered public opinion on the economy, political violence, the government shutdown, the American Dream, conflicts in the Middle East, and the war in Ukraine. Download the key results here.
“Voters’ outlook on the country remains largely the same with strong opposition to the government shutdown,” said Mark Penn, Co-Director of the Harvard CAPS / Harris poll and Stagwell Chairman and CEO. “They feel the rhetoric of today’s political leaders has grown too polarizing and is fueling political violence, and they want leadership that works to unite the country.”
CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL DROPS FROM LAST MONTH
- 40% of voters say the country is on the right track, stable from last month.
- 34% of voters say their personal financial situation is improving (-1 pt., Aug. 2025), particularly among Republican, male, 25-44 y.o., and urban voters.
- The Congressional approval rating is at 32% (-5). The Democratic Party approval rating is at 42% (+1) and the Republican Party approval rating is steady at 47%.
- Among key political figures, voters have the highest net favorable view of Charlie Kirk (+16 net favorable), Erika Kirk (+14), and Volodymyr Zelenskyy (+13).
- 43% of voters say inflation is the most important issue to them personally (-4).
MAJORITY OF VOTERS BELIEVE INFLATION IS ABOVE 3 PERCENT AND THE ECONOMY IS SHRINKING
- 65% of voters believe inflation is above 3 percent (Democrats: 70%; Republicans: 62%; Independents: 64%).
- 56% of voters believe the economy is shrinking rather than growing.
- Voters are split 50-50 on whether Trump’s policies are making the U.S. economy stronger or weaker.
- 58% of voters say Trump’s tariffs are harming the economy (+3).
- 56% of voters say Trump is losing the battle against inflation.
VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY OPPOSE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
- 70% of voters oppose the government shutdown, with 53% blaming Republicans (Democrats: 76%; Republicans: 31%; Independents: 54%). However, 62% of voters say Republicans will win the shutdown.
- 65% of voters say Democrats should end the shutdown by accepting a continuing resolution at current spending levels (Democrats: 39%; Republicans: 90%; Independents: 63%).
- Voters are split on how the shutdown impacts their vote in the midterm elections, with 8% of Democrats they are more likely to vote for Republicans and 9% of Republicans saying they are more likely to vote for Democrats.
- 55% of voters say the Democrats behind the shutdown are motivated by pleasing their base.
THREE IN FOUR VOTERS BELIEVE TODAY’s POLITICAL RHETORIC IS TOO EXTREME, BLAMING IT FOR VIOLENCE
- 75% of voters say the rhetoric of our politicians has become too extreme (Democrats: 83%; Republicans: 65%; Independents: 79%), with 72% saying today’s rhetoric is leading to violence.
- 58% of voters say Trump’s rhetoric is too extreme. 57% believe the same of rhetoric from leading Democratic and Republican politicians.
- Though more than three-quarters of voters say assassinations of Charlie Kirk (78%), United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson (77%), and Minnesota Democratic State Representative Melissa Hortman (83%) were unjustified, roughly 1 in 5 say they were justified (Kirk: 22%; Thompson: 23%; Hortman: 17%).
- 53% of voters say Kirk’s assassination made the country worse. 32% felt angry, 23% felt nothing, and 18% felt worried.
- 86% of Democrat voters and 83% of Republican voters say it is unjustified to use political violence to advance their party’s goals.
- 56% of voters believe America can come together with leadership that tried harder to unify it, including a majority across parties.
- At least two-thirds of voters say assassination attempts on Trump, Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Governor Josh Shapiro, and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi were unjustified.
STRONG MAJORITY OF VOTERS FOUND MEDIA CELEBRATION OF KIRK’S DEATH INAPPROPRIATE BUT SAY SUCH BEHAVIOR IS PROTECTED BY FREE SPEECH
- 85% of voters say it is inappropriate for media personalities to celebrate Kirk’s death.
- 62% of voters say the words and actions of those celebrating Kirk’s death is protected by the First Amendment and free speech (Democrats: 70%; Republicans: 55%; Independents: 63%).
- Voters are split on whether it was right of TV networks to fire commentators over Kirk comments (Right: 51%; Wrong: 49%).
- 54% of voters oppose the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel, and 58% say Disney was right to reinstate him.
- 64% of voters say social media is operating to encourage political violence today.
MOST OF TRUMP POLICIES CONTINUE TO SEE MAJORITY SUPPORT INCLUDING SINKING BOATS WITH DRUGS, THOUGH A SMALL MAJORITY SAY TRUMP HAS EXCEEDED HIS AUTHORITY AS PRESIDENT
- 18 out of 20 of Trump’s policies continue to receive majority support, with his most popular policies being lowering prescription drug prices (86%), deporting illegal immigrants who have committed crimes (78%), and eliminating waste in government expenditures (75%). Adding work requirements to Medicaid programs (42%), tariffs (49%), and deploying the National Guard in cities (51%) are the least popular.
- 71% of voters support the U.S. destroying boats bringing drugs from South America into the country.
- 63% of voters say Trump will not solve the Ukraine war (+4), and 64% of voters say Trump will not solve the Israel-Hamas war.
- 52% of voters say Trump is doing a better job than Joe Biden did as President (-2).
- 52% of voters say Trump is behaving like a strong president instead of a fascist dictator, though 55% say Trump has exceeded his authority as President (Democrats: 83%; Republicans: 24%; Independents: 59%).
- 56% of voters say Trump is not abiding by all court rulings.
AMERICANS OVERWHELMINGLY FAVOR FREE ENTERPRISE OVER SOCIALISM AND BELIEVE IN HARD WORK, BUT A PLURALITY ARE SKEPTICAL THEY WILL EVER ACHIEVE THE AMERICAN DREAM
- 78% of voters say Americans are better off with free enterprise than socialism, including a majority across political, gender, and age groups, though 37% of voters 18-24 y.o. favor socialism.
- 38% of voters, a plurality, believe they will never live the American Dream, while 34% say they will eventually live it and 28% say they are living it now.
- 61% of voters are homeowners, 84% say they own a car, and 54% say they have a job.
- 57% of voters believe hard work can earn then enough to own a house and have a family, with Republican (73%; net +24 vs. Democrat), male (64%; net +14 vs. female), and 25-44 y.o. (62%; net +12 vs. 55-64 y.o.) voters agreeing with the sentiment most.
- 59% of voters say a college education is important to economic success (Democrats: 66%; Republicans: 57%; Independents: 53%; Men: 62%; Women: 55%).
- 53% of voters say America is on the verge of unprecedented economic opportunities, believing younger generations today have advantages others did not. But 57% of voters say AI will make it harder to get a job.
STRONG MAJORITY OF VOTERS VALUE FAMILY AND KIDS, THOUGH YOUNGER VOTERS ARE PRIORITIZING ECONOMIC SUCCESS
- 71% of voters say having a family is very important to them personally, while 55% say the same about economic success.
- 71% of voters say having a family is more important than having a good job (18-24 y.o.: 51%).
- 78% of voters say having children is something they want or wanted.
- 60% of voters have children, though 28% say they do not expect to have any (Democrats: 31%; Republicans: 22%; Independents: 33%; Male: 32%; Female: 24%; 18-24 y.o.: 32%).
MAJORITY OF VOTERS SUPPORT TRUMP’S GAZA PEACE PLAN
- 51% of voters support Trump’s handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict (-2 pts., Aug. 2025).
- 56% of voters support Trump’s 21-point peace plan to end the conflict, with 70% supporting the plan after being told major Arab governments support it.
- 79% of voters say Israel should accept the plan and 78% say Hamas should accept it. 51% believe Israel has already accepted it, and 64% believe Hamas has rejected it.
- 83% of voters support the plan’s demands to release of all hostages and create a path to a Palestinian state.
- 69% of voters agree the long-term answer to the conflict should be a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine.
- 75% of voters support imposing new sanctions on Iran for its continued ambition for nuclear weapons.
TRUMP GIVEN CREDIT FOR HIS EFFORTS TO END WAR IN UKRAINE
- 65% of voters support Trump’s efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
- 77% of voters support additional sanctions on Russia to end the war, and 68% believe the Trump administration should continue to arm Ukraine and impose sanctions.
- 57% of voters believe governments that buy Russian oil and gas should be punished with tariffs.
- 79% of voters say Europe should buy oil from the U.S. instead of from Russia.
The September Harvard CAPS / Harris poll survey was conducted online within the United States on October 1-2, 2025, among 2,413 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
September 2025
August 2025
August 2025
August 2025
AUGUST HARVARD CAPS / HARRIS POLL: 54% OF VOTERS SAY TRUMP IS DOING A BETTER JOB THAN BIDEN, UP 3 PTS. FROM JULY, AS APPROVAL RATING STABILIZES AT 47%
News Provided By:
Stagwell Inc.
Published Date
August 25, 2025, 11:24 AM ET
48% OF VOTERS SAY INFLATION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE TO THEM PERSONALLY
54% OF VOTERS SAY TRUMP’S ACTIONS IN WASHINGTON, D.C. ARE JUSTIFIED AND NECESSARY
66% OF VOTERS WANT LAWMAKERS TO PRESSURE THE ADMINISTRATION FOR MORE INFORMATION ON EPSTEIN
52% OF VOTERS SATISFIED WITH TRUMP’S NEGOTIATIONS ON THE WAR IN UKRAINE, A 5 PT. INCREASE FROM LAST MONTH
NEW YORK and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Aug. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) today released the results of the August 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 at 47%, with highest approval among Republican, male, white, 25-44 y.o., and rural voters. Trump’s job approval is highest on fighting crime in U.S. cities (51%), immigration (50%), and returning America to its values (50%), and lowest on handling inflation (41%) and tariffs and trade policy (41%). This month’s poll also covered public opinion on the economy and jobs, crime, the Epstein case, conflicts in the Middle East, and the war in Ukraine. Download the key results here.
“Trump has really solidified his political base and is maintaining every point of it,” said Mark Penn, Co-Director of the Harvard CAPS / Harris poll and Stagwell Chairman and CEO. “He is working on a lot of initiatives that will take time to pan out – but unless there is peace in one of these foreign conflicts or a clear consensus about the economy, the country will likely remain in a partisan rut.”
INFLATION AND AFFORDABILITY REMAINS TOP ISSUE FOR VOTERS
- 34% of voters continue to single out price increases, inflation, and affordability as the most important issue facing the country today (+3 pts., July 2025). 26% of voters say it is immigration (-3).
- 38% of voters say the economy is on the right track, stable from last month.
- 42% of voters say their personal financial situation is getting worse, particularly among Democrats, Independents, women, and Hispanic voters.
- Among key political figures, Trump has the highest favorability at 46% (-2 net unfavorable), followed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (+7 net favorable). Voters have a more unfavorable view of Elon Musk (-15 net unfavorable) and President Joe Biden (-14 net unfavorable).
CONTINUED MAJORITY SUPPORT FOR TRUMP’S POLICIES BUT WEAKNESS AROUND INFLATION AND FOREIGN POLICY
- 14 out of 15 of Trump’s policies continue to receive majority support, with his most popular policies being lowering prescription drug prices for Medicare recipients and low-income patients (86%), deporting illegal immigrants who have committed crimes (75%), and eliminating fraud and waste in government expenditures (73%).
- 54% of voters say Trump is doing a better job than Joe Biden did as president (+3 pts., July 2025).
- 62% of voters say Democrats should take more of a wait-and-see attitude toward Trump’s actions (Democrats: 35%; Republicans: 85%; Independents: 66%).
- 55% of voters say Trump’s policies will increase inflation (Democrats: 83%; Republicans: 33%; Independents: 51%), and 55% say his tariffs are harming the economy.
- 59% of voters say Trump will not solve the Ukraine war, and 64% of voters say Trump will not solve the Israel-Hamas war (+5).
MIXED PERCEPTIONS ON JOBS AND JOB REPORT RELIABILITY
- 51% of voters say Trump’s policies are leading to more jobs in the country (+2). Voters are similarly split on whether his policies are strengthening the economy (51%) and leading to more investment in the country (52%).
- Voters are split 50-50 on whether job numbers have been reliable. 59% of Democrats and Independents say they have not been reliable, while 65% of Republicans say they are reliable.
- 53% of voters say the firing of the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics was politically motivated.
- 54% of voters say the U.S. is currently not in a recession (-2), though 58% of Democrats continue to believe the U.S. is in a recession.
VOTERS VIEW AMERICAN CITIES AS UNSAFE, APPROVE OF TRUMP’S ACTIONS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
- 54% of voters say Trump’s actions in Washington, D.C. are justified and necessary (Democrats: 28%; Republicans: 85%; Independents: 47%).
- 40% of voters, a plurality, say crime in the U.S. is increasing.
- 56% of voters say typical large American cities are unsafe, especially New York City (63%) and Los Angeles (62%). A majority of voters (55%) say the current level of crime in D.C. is about the same as other parts of the country.
- 54% of voters support the Trump administration declaring a crime emergency in D.C. and the deployment of the National Guard, but 53% of voters oppose Trump’s use of his presidential authority to take over local police.
- 54% of voters say Trump’s actions in D.C. are a distraction from other unpopular policies and personal problems.
- 73% of voters say Trump’s deployment of the National Guard in D.C. is a signal he will perform similar actions in other cities in the future, including a majority across political parties.
MAJORITY OF VOTERS WANT TRANSPARENCY IN THE EPSTEIN CASE, SAYING IT WILL AFFECT THEIR OPINION OF TRUMP
- 65% of voters say transparency in the Epstein case is important to their opinion of Trump (Democrats: 76%; Republicans: 60%; Independents: 59%).
- 72% of voters say they are familiar with the Jeffrey Epstein case, and 63% have heard of the Department of Justice and FBI memo of findings released in July 2025.
- 42% of voters say Trump has handled the Epstein case poorly, with a plurality of voters saying the same for FBI officials and Attorney General Pam Bondi.
- 79% of voters say the Epstein case likely involves a cover-up by powerful elites, including a majority across political parties.
- 66% of voters say lawmakers should pressure the Trump administration to release more information about the Epstein case (Democrats: 85%; Republicans: 47%; Independents: 67%).
- Voters trust independent media (e.g. journalists or podcasts) the most when it comes to full transparency on the Epstein case (52%) over the FBI (47%), DOJ (45%), mainstream news outlets (44%), Trump (39%), and Congress (39%).
VOTERS BLAME HAMAS FOR FAMINE IN GAZA, CONTINUING TO SUPPORT ISRAEL IN CONFLICT
- 74% of voters continue to support Israel over Hamas in the Israel-Hamas conflict (-3). 51% of voters disapprove of Israel’s conduct during the conflict, while 77% disapprove of Hamas’ conduct.
- 53% of voters support Trump’s handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict thus far.
- 69% of voters say there is a famine in Gaza, including a majority across age groups and political parties. 61% believe Hamas is responsible for the famine (Democrats: 50%; Republicans: 74%; Independents: 60%).
- Voters are split on whether they believe criticism of Israel is motivated more by concern for Palestinian human rights (51%) or antisemitism (49%), as well as whether they believe Israel is committing a genocide in Gaza (50-50).
- 57% of voters support the U.S. providing offensive military aid to Israel (Democrats: 44%; Republicans: 74%; Independents: 51%).
- 85% of voters say the U.S. should continue to take all actions necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon (+5). 67% favor a negotiated deal that permanently blocks nuclear weapons development.
TRUMP GIVEN CREDIT FOR HIS EFFORTS TO END WAR IN UKRAINE
- 66% of voters support Trump’s efforts to end the war in Ukraine. 52% say they are satisfied with how Trump is managing negotiations to end the war between Ukraine and Russia (+5).
- 57% of voters agree Trump deserves a lot of credit for pulling off these meetings regardless of whether he succeeds (Democrats: 31%; Republicans: 87%; Independents: 52%). 60% say Biden was not capable of pulling off such meetings with world leaders.
- 60% of voters say the meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin was unsuccessful in advancing peace, while 51% of voters say the meeting with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders was successful.
- 67% of voters say Putin is playing games and stalling with the U.S. and the West (-6). 67% say Zelenskyy genuinely wants to end the war (+6).
- 67% of voters say the Trump administration should continue to provide weaponry to Ukraine and impose further economic sanctions on Russia (+2), including a majority across political parties. 69% of voters say Ukraine should receive direct security guarantees from the U.S. if it makes concessions to end the war (+4).
The August Harvard CAPS / Harris poll survey was conducted online within the United States on August 20-21, 2025, among 2,025 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