© EPA-EFE/FRANCIS CHUNG Immigration policy is Trump's strong suit, despite controversy over his too-tough approach.
Almost twelve months into Donald Trump's second stint in the Oval Office, financial strategies haven’t quite met the hopes of a lot of his backers, according to a fresh AP-NORC survey .
The survey’s outcome indicated a notable difference between the economic stewardship that Americans recall from Trump’s initial presidential term and the reality they’ve experienced thus far, even as the US leader generates turmoil both domestically and abroad.
Only 16% of Republicans think Trump has been “very” helpful in addressing the living costs issue, a figure that’s 49% lower than in April 2024, when AP-NORC posed the identical question to Americans regarding his first term in the White House.
Concurrently, Republicans largely endorse Trump’s direction on immigration matters, despite some reservations about his methods.
The research suggests some unease among consumers about the economy, notably regarding Trump’s central campaign pledge to reduce expenditures. Inflation has decreased somewhat, but costs for numerous items remain elevated compared to when the Republican president commenced his duties last January.
However, generally speaking, there is little indication that the Republican grassroots are disavowing Trump. The great majority of Republicans, roughly 8 out of 10, express approval of his performance, compared to 4 out of 10 among all respondents.
“I don’t care for this person as an individual. I dislike his pomposity. I dislike his impoliteness. Yet, I support his actions to set the country on the correct course,” stated one of the survey’s participants.
Trump hasn’t improved the spending situation, most Republicans believe
Concerning different economic aspects, Trump still needs to convince many within his base that he’s making positive changes.
Around 4 in 10 Republicans overall feel Trump has done “at least a bit” to aid in resolving the cost of living issue during his second term, in contrast to 79% who expressed this view during his first term in the White House, according to a 2024 survey. Slightly more than half of Republicans in the current poll indicated Trump has helped in job creation during his second term; 85% expressed similar sentiments about his initial term, including 62% who felt he contributed “significantly.”
A mere 26% of Republicans in the recent survey believe Trump has greatly assisted in generating jobs during his second term.
Regarding healthcare, approximately a third of Republicans think Trump has done “at least a bit” to assist in tackling the cost problem, whereas 53% of participants in an April 2024 survey mentioned he aided in notably decreasing healthcare expenses during his first term. Federal healthcare subsidies for over 20 million Americans lapsed on Jan. 1, resulting in heightened healthcare expenses for numerous households.
Immigration policy is Trump's strong suit, despite controversy
A recent survey emphasizes that Republicans are mainly receiving their desired outcomes on immigration, even though some voice concerns regarding immigration officials who have flooded U.S. cities at Trump’s direction.
Roughly 8 in 10 Republicans think Trump has contributed at least “a little” to improving immigration and border protection during his second term. This aligns with the results from an April 2024 survey, where participants suggested Trump’s immigration and border security strategies during his initial term had a favorable influence.
Most Republicans are of the opinion that Trump has found the correct balance in deporting immigrants who are illegally present in the U.S., while about a third consider he hasn’t gone far enough.
However, over the past year, backing for Trump’s stance on immigration has also waned among Republicans, dropping from 88% in March to 76% in a fresh survey.
Several Republicans polled stated they believed the forceful approaches recently implemented in Minneapolis were overly severe and recommended Trump prioritize immigrants with criminal histories, as he pledged during his campaign.
On the whole, just 38% of American adults approve of Trump’s immigration strategies, whereas 61% disapprove.
Around two-thirds of Republicans think the country as a whole is “significantly” or “somewhat” improved compared to its state before Trump assumed office, but only approximately half express a similar sentiment about themselves and their families. A widespread perception that the country is progressing in the appropriate direction might counteract Republican dissatisfaction with the economic climate.
The AP-NORC poll, encompassing 1,203 participants, took place from Jan. 8-11. The overall error margin stands at plus or minus 3.9 percentage points. The survey featured 404 Republican participants, with the margin of error for Republicans being plus or minus 6 percentage points.
In the meantime, a study across 21 nations by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) discovered that under Trump, America’s traditional rivals exhibit less apprehension toward the US, while US allies, particularly in Europe, are growing increasingly estranged from Washington . For instance, the majority of Europeans no longer regard the US as a dependable ally.