President Donald Trump is riding high in national approval—yet he’s hitting turbulence on one key economic front: tariffs.
A new CBS/YouGov poll reveals Trump’s overall favorability among Americans stands at a solid 50%, fueled by overwhelming support for his aggressive immigration crackdown. But when it comes to his sweeping tariffs on foreign goods, voters are sending a clear message: not so fast.
Tariffs Under Fire
The poll shows 55% of Americans believe Trump is too focused on tariffs instead of tackling rising prices on everyday goods. Only 38% back his strategy of taxing imports. Meanwhile, a whopping 64% say he’s not doing enough to bring down costs at the grocery store and gas pump.
“I voted for Trump because he gets things done,” said Mark Holloway, a small business owner in Indiana. “But if prices keep rising, I’m going to need more than patriotic speeches. I need relief.”
Trump, however, sees tariffs as a tool to rebuild America’s manufacturing base. He’s leaned heavily on emergency presidential powers to slap broad tariffs on America’s top trading partners—including a 25% tariff on Canadian and Mexican imports and a 20% hit on Chinese goods.
Just last week, he stunned the auto industry by announcing a 25% tariff on all foreign-made cars and parts—a move experts warn could push car prices up by as much as $10,000 per vehicle.
“We’re bringing American jobs back,” Trump said at a rally in Pennsylvania. “We’re done being the world’s punching bag. These tariffs are about fairness—and freedom.”
He’s also scheduled to roll out a new wave of tariffs on April 2, calling it “Liberation Day”—a push for reciprocal trade that he claims will protect U.S. industry and national security.
Inflation Still a Headache
Even as Trump pushes his America First trade agenda, many voters are worried about their wallets. While inflation has eased from its 2022 peak, prices remain stubbornly high—up over 23% from pre-pandemic levels.
Core inflation in February came in at 2.8% year-over-year, beating forecasts. Prices rose 0.4% just in that month, the second consecutive month of hotter-than-expected data.
That’s caused Trump to lose ground on what was once his strongest suit. 52% of Americans now disapprove of his economic management, according to the poll.
Yet the blame game still favors Trump: 38% pin inflation woes on President Joe Biden, while only 34% blame Trump, and 19% fault both.
Eggs, Not Enough?
In his defense, Trump has pointed to declining prices in specific areas—most notably eggs. After pledging to fight soaring egg costs in his State of the Union-style address, prices have dropped to $3 per dozen, down from record highs during January’s bird flu outbreak.
But voters want more than cheaper eggs.
“He talks about eggs like it’s 1950,” said Sandra Ruiz, a mother of three in Arizona. “My rent’s up. My groceries are still up. I need real solutions.”
Border Policies Still Winning
While Trump faces growing criticism on tariffs and inflation, one issue remains a clear political win: immigration.
According to the CBS poll, 53% of Americans support Trump’s border and deportation policies, compared to 47% who oppose them. That support rises to 58% when focusing specifically on his mass deportation plans.
Illegal crossings at the southern border have plummeted. In February 2025, there were just 29,000 encounters, down dramatically from 256,000 in February 2024—a jaw-dropping 89% decrease.
Trump credits his use of the Alien Enemies Act, a rarely used 18th-century law, to deport gang members from Venezuela and Central America to high-security prisons in El Salvador—drawing praise from border state voters and criticism from international human rights groups.
“We’re cleaning up this mess,” Trump said at a Texas town hall. “We’re not playing games anymore.”
Looking Ahead
Trump’s “tough but fair” policies still resonate deeply with the Republican base. But the latest polls suggest that his economic narrative needs tightening—especially as prices remain high and doubts grow over his tariff-heavy strategy.
With new trade battles looming and the economy still top of mind for voters, the path to November may run straight through America’s wallets.
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