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Even before the Supreme Court handed a blow to President Donald Trump’s sweeping trade policy, Americans were already voicing strong disapproval in national polling of his handling of tariffs.
A Fox News survey conducted between Jan. 23 and 26 found 63% of registered voters disapprove of Trump’s handling of tariffs, while 37% approve, a 26-point deficit that ranks trade among his weakest-performing issues.
The results highlight resistance to the administration’s aggressive trade strategy. The White House has promoted tariffs as both an economic lever and a source of federal revenue, but the poll suggests that argument is not resonating with many voters.
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President Donald Trump delivers remarks on a partnership deal with U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel at the U.S. Steel Corporation-Irvin Works in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, Friday, May 30, 2025. (Daniel Torok/Official White House Photo)
This administration has repeatedly argued that tariff revenue can fund domestic priorities like lowering the nation’s $38 trillion debt and potentially delivering a $2,000 dividend check to Americans.
And collections have surged.
Since Trump’s return to office, tariff revenue has climbed more than 300%. In January alone, duties totaled $30.4 billion, up 275% from a year earlier. So far this fiscal year, revenue has reached $132.6 billion.
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U.S. President Donald Trump walks on the South Lawn of the White House after arriving on Marine One in Washington, DC, US, on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (Shawn Thew/EPA/Bloomberg/Getty Images)
Yet despite the windfall, public opinion has not followed the same trajectory.
Disapproval extends beyond trade. The poll found 59% disapprove of Trump’s handling of the economy and 65% disapprove of his handling of inflation, economic anxieties that may be shaping views of tariff policy.
Taken together, the numbers indicate that even before recent legal developments, the president’s trade agenda was facing significant public headwinds, raising questions about its political durability as cost-of-living concerns persist.