The polls and passions of the USA.
There is currently a pervasive notion heralded by the Fourth Estate that President Donald Trump’s administration is on the verge of collapse and that the public has significantly turned against him. Liberty Nation News’ American Thermometer is here to examine the validity of these claims – the support for or opposition to his policy platforms – and to dig into the data that headlines on polls don’t provide. This week, we are highlighting some fascinating surveys straight out of Napolitan News Service that suggest the public may, in fact, be on the Trump train.
Ragin’ Cajun or Ragin’ Bull?
Famed Democratic Party strategist James Carville confidently declared last month that all his party needs to do is sit back and “retreat” for a spell until Trump collapses his party. Presumably, this prognostication would be based on how voters feel about the returning president’s first six weeks back in office. Let’s examine a few of Trump’s more contentious positions:
Ukraine: Napolitan News Service ran polling both before and after Trump recently met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office – an event that led to sparks and almost total condemnation of Trump by European allies and the Fourth Estate. However, the commander-in-chief has never been one to listen to critics in the media or abroad, and the surveys show that he may have been right to turn a deaf ear.
Before the meeting, 53% of respondents said that the United States “should support Ukraine in the war.” After the meeting, that figure dropped slightly to 50%. The “neither” option remained steady at 32%.
A CBS News/YouGov poll conducted partly before and partly after the White House feud found a strikingly similar result: 52% said they “personally support” Ukraine’s efforts against Russia. But what does such support entail?
The Napolitan survey suggests that 44% favor continued funding of Ukraine in its struggle – with 37% opposed and 19% undecided. When it comes to “boots on the ground,” however, only 27% take this position, compared with a whopping 60% who do not. It will be interesting to see new poll numbers now that there has been a breakthrough in the negotiations between Zelensky and Trump.
Illegal Immigration: This was a major issue for Trump in his 2024 campaign, brought back into the spotlight by the porous border during President Joe Biden’s term in office. There has been a litany of stories in the press regarding deportations, the vast majority of which take a position of sympathy. But are the tales of woe resonating with voters?
RealClear Polling’s aggregate of surveys on the topic of immigration gives Trump a positive approval of +5.5%, with only two out of the last 13 major polls on the matter being in the red. The largest and most statistically significant of these comes courtesy of Harvard/Harris, with almost 22,500 registered voter respondents and a margin of error sitting at just 2%.
The Harvard/Harris survey asked whether voters supported or opposed “Deporting immigrants who are here illegally and have committed crimes.” The results were 81% for deportations, including 70% of Democratic voters.
Liberty Nation News recently reported on a January poll by Ipsos, writing:
“Two-thirds (66%) of Americans supported the mass deportation of those illegally in the country, according to the poll. Notably, this did not specify only those who have committed other crimes besides illegal entry – this is just anyone who does not have a legal right to be in the country. Naturally, this was not the headline the news media ran with.”
In fact, Trump’s actions on deporting illegal migrants may be his most popular policy, spanning Republicans, Democrats, and Independents.
Polls Show DOGE Divided?
When it comes to the Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE, one might assume that any agency determined to hunt for fraud and waste of taxpayers’ cash would be an easy win. But there’s more nuance in how Americans see this nascent project.
While there is popular support for the function of the department, personal feelings toward DOGE are not as ebullient. For example, Harvard/Harris asked, “Do you think there should be a U.S. government agency focused on efficiency initiatives, or not?” A mighty 72% responded “yes.” But it was not specific about DOGE.
The CBS/YouGov survey found that just 51% approved of Trump’s efforts at cutting the federal workforce, with 49% opposed. Indeed, a number of similar polls expressed support for the sentiment but not necessarily the methods.
Opinions are wont to change as situations develop. Liberty Nation News’ American Thermometer will continue tracking the issues and keep you updated.
Liberty Nation does not endorse candidates, campaigns, or legislation, and this presentation is no endorsement.
