Trump is popular — by his standards
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Several days into Donald Trump's second term, here are the key takeaways from YouGov's polling:
1. Trump is as popular as he's ever been
Donald Trump is not popular. Just 49% of Americans have a very or somewhat favorable opinion of the 45th and 47th president, while 48% have a very or somewhat unfavorable opinion,
But Trump is more popular than he's ever been as a politician. Trump has been in the public eye for the best part of a decade, and over almost that entire time — including his entire first presidency, and almost all of Joe Biden's — more Americans have disliked him than liked him. Being merely even represents peak popularity for Donald Trump the politician:
Whether Trump can maintain this popularity is a huge question for the coming months and years. Many U.S. presidents hit their peak popularity at the start of their terms (including both Biden and Barack Obama) before fading as a "honeymoon phase" ends. But right now Trump has millions more Americans liking him than he's ever had.
That modest popularity is evident in a host of other areas. More Americans feel enthusiastic or satisfied about Trump's presidency (49%) than feel upset or dissatisfied (44%). More say Trump is a very or somewhat strong leader (62%) than that he's a very or somewhat weak leader (38%).
Trump's relative popularity also has some coattails. For example, many Americans seem to be giving Trump's high-level appointments the benefit of the doubt. All eight prominent Trump nominees YouGov asked about this week have more Americans approving of their nomination than disapproving. That includes nominees who have come in for sustained criticism, such as Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth (39% strongly or somewhat approve, 37% strongly or somewhat disapprove).
2. So are some — but not all — of Trump's policies
The fact that Trump is moderately popular doesn't mean that all his policies are moderately popular, too. Instead, some of Trump's policies (proposed or already implemented) are quite popular, some are quite unpopular, and others divide Americans evenly.
Lots of Americans (69%) like Trump's decision to designate criminal drug cartels as terrorist organizations, for example, including 83% of Republicans and 64% of Democrats. Declassifying documents related to the John F. Kennedy assassination and creating a commission to audit the federal government also both have more than 60% of Americans in support.
In contrast, withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accords, imposing a 25% tariff on goods from Mexico and Canada, withdrawing from the World Health Organization, and renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America all have less than 40% of Americans in support.
In between are a host of other policies, including some that have almost exactly half of Americans in support: Arresting and deporting millions of illegal immigrants (51% support), ending asylum entirely (51%), declaring a national emergency on the southern border (49%), and requiring all federal workers to work in-person rather than remotely (48%).
3. Republicans are closing ranks; Democrats are more willing to compromise
Views on Trump are strongly polarized by political party. 92% of Republicans have a very or somewhat favorable opinion of Trump, while just 12% of Democrats do. And most of these views are very firmly held: 67% of Republicans say their view of Trump is "very favorable," while 74% of Democrats say theirs is "very unfavorable." Only 27% of Republicans, 22% of Democrats, and 35% of Independents say their view of Trump is either "somewhat favorable" or "somewhat unfavorable," and just 3% of U.S. adult citizens don't have an opinion.
But Democrats and Republicans are responding to Trump in different ways. To get at this, we asked Democrats whether they wanted Democrats in Congress to oppose all of Trump's policies, or be willing to work with him. 70% want Democrats to work with Trump where they agreed with him, and only 19% say they should always oppose him.
We asked Republicans a mirrored question: Whether Congressional Republicans should support all of Trump's policies, or if they should oppose Trump policies they personally disagree with. Only 26% say Congressional Republicans should oppose Trump when they disagree with him, while 56% say they should always support Trump.
Quick takes
Margins: 49% of Americans say Donald Trump won a larger margin of victory in the popular vote in 2024 than Joe Biden did in 2020; 28% say Biden's margin was bigger. (Biden won by 4.5 points in 2020; Trump won by 1.5 points in 2024)
Women in combat: 67% of Americans, 81% of Democrats, and 53% of Republicans strongly or somewhat support allowing women to serve in combat roles in the military; 23% of Americans, 11% of Democrats, and 37% of Republicans strongly or somewhat oppose this
DEI: 22% of Americans say businesses do too much to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in their workplaces; 25% say they do too little, and 29% say they do the right amount
Gender: 46% of Americans say Trump's presidency will be good for men and 22% say it will be bad for men; 33% say it will be good for women, and 44% say it will be bad for women
Elsewhere
Polling partnerships
CBS + YouGov on Donald Trump's return to office and expectations for his second term
The Economist + YouGov on the start of Donald Trump's second term, approval of his appointments and policies, the state of the country, and wars in Ukraine and Gaza
Polling abroad
Polling in the press
What to make of Trump's attempt to end birthright citizenship (ABC News/538)
Trump’s Panama, Greenland gambits: A bold idea few are really asking for (Washington Post)
President Trump wants to make showerheads and toilets flow greatly again, but so may utility bills (Associated Press)
Successful couples use these 3 therapist-designed communication tools to solve conflict (CNBC)
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This newsletter is compiled by David Montgomery and Carl Bialik.