About one-third of Americans believe the country is on the wrong track, largely attributing this to President Trump’s actions since he resumed office in January, according to a recent poll from the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI).
62% of respondents think the nation is headed the wrong way, with 92% of Democrats and 71% of independents sharing this sentiment. In contrast, only 24% of Republicans feel similarly.
Many Americans feel that the Trump administration’s cuts to federal funding for healthcare, universities, research institutions, and the introduction of new tariffs have crossed a line. Interestingly, the opinions of independents regarding these cuts and increased funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) appear to align more with Democrats.
“In this unprecedented move, a significant portion of the American populace, including political independents, thinks the Trump administration has overstepped,” stated PRRI Chairman Robert P. Jones. “Despite the fact that a majority, notably two-thirds of independents, now consider the president a dangerous dictator, many Republicans still support his actions.”
This sentiment marks a decline from a PRRI poll conducted in September 2024, towards the end of President Biden’s term, where 70% of Americans felt the country was moving in the wrong direction—this included 41% of Democrats and 94% of Republicans.
Furthermore, many respondents expressed concern about various issues: 65% believe America is faltering economically, 65% concerning the efficiency of the federal government, 57% regarding illegal immigration, and 60% in terms of international relations.
Most Americans seem discontent with both major political parties, with 60% viewing Democrats unfavorably and 57% feeling the same about Republicans.
This latest poll aligns with findings from a recent Gallup poll, which indicated that 58% of Americans view Republicans unfavorably while 61% feel the same about Democrats.
The PRRI survey was conducted from September 12-15 and included responses from 5,543 individuals across all 50 states. An additional 412 respondents were recruited via an opt-in survey panel from Ipsos to enhance participation in smaller states. The margin of error for the poll is 1.79 percentage points.
