Most Americans like Trump’s tariff goals — but not his approach, poll finds

Most Americans think President Donald Trump has the right instinct when it comes to tariffs — but his execution is another story, according to new polling.

In the latest CBS News/YouGov poll, a slim majority of respondents, 51%, said they like what Trump is trying to accomplish on tariffs and trade, while 49% said they dislike it. However, a decisive majority, 63%, said they dislike the way he has handled these issues, while just 37% said they like it.

Further, 58% said they’re opposed to new tariffs on foreign goods, while 42% said they’re in favor of this.

The poll — which sampled 2,410 U.S. adults April 8-11 — comes after Trump slapped tariffs on most of the world and after he has made several major changes to his policies.

On April 2, he instituted a 10% baseline tariff on all imported goods in addition to higher rates on dozens of countries. One week later — after global markets plummeted — he announced a 90-day pause on the higher rates, while simultaneously increasing the rate on China to 125%. And on April 11, his administration said it would exempt imported electronics — a large share of which come from China — from higher rates.

Unclear plan and purpose

These moves have left many Americans feeling as though the White House has no comprehensible strategy.

Fifty percent of respondents said that Trump does not have “a clear plan for U.S. policy” when it comes to placing tariffs on other countries. The same share said he does have a fleshed out plan.

Additionally, Americans are divided over the exact purpose of the tariffs. A majority, 59%, believe they are temporary measures used to initiate negotiations. But a substantial minority, 41%, believe the president intends for tariffs to be permanent.

Trump himself has suggested that both can be true, telling reporters on April 7, “there can be permanent tariffs, and there can also be negotiations.”

Negative effects on economy

A consensus has also developed that Trump’s tariffs are having a deleterious effect on the U.S. economy.

A majority, 58%, believe the president’s policies have made the price of groceries increase, while just 18% said his actions have led to a decrease in prices.

Similarly, 62% said Trump’s policies have made the stock market tilt downward, while just 19% said they have made stocks increase. A plurality, 47%, said the president’s actions have resulted in fewer job openings. And 31% said they’ve led to more jobs.

These findings are in line with the view of many economists, who say broad-based tariffs will result in price increases, higher inflation and fewer jobs.

As a result, 56% of respondents said they disapprove of the way Trump has handled the economy — which has historically been one of his strongest issues. Meanwhile, 44% said they approve.

Free trade and manufacturing

The poll — which has a margin of error of 2.4 percentage points — also asked respondents about their feelings on free trade and U.S. manufacturing.

A plurality, 47%, said they believe free trade between the U.S. and other countries has generally been good for America, while 31% said it has been bad and 22% said it hasn’t made a huge difference.

Further, 69% said it is “necessary for the U.S. to trade with other countries for a lot of what it needs.” Meanwhile, 31% said the U.S. can domestically manufacture “a lot of what it needs.”

And, over the long term, about half of respondents, 49%, said Trump’s tariffs will add manufacturing jobs in the U.S. Twenty-five percent said they will lose domestic manufacturing jobs, and 26% said they will result in no change.

This story was originally published April 14, 2025 at 11:39 AM with the headline "Most Americans like Trump’s tariff goals — but not his approach, poll finds."