A recent survey indicates that most Americans favor various limitations on presidential powers.
The survey, conducted by Reuters/Ipsos, explored public opinions regarding the expansive authority sought by the Trump administration over the weekend.
About 62% of participants believe the president shouldn’t have control over police “in my city or town,” and 57% feel the same about police in larger cities. In contrast, only 25% and 29% think the president should hold such powers.
Additionally, 59% oppose the notion of presidential control over cultural institutions like museums and theaters, while 57% believe the president shouldn’t dictate terms for setting interest rates or regulating businesses.
Opinions become more split regarding whether the president should operate without judicial or legislative interference.
The scope of presidential power appears particularly constrained in sovereign states, as President Trump has already deployed federal police in Washington, D.C., and hinted at extending this to other American cities.
This year, Trump appointed his own members to the Kennedy Center council and initiated a White House evaluation of the Smithsonian, aiming to eliminate “anti-American” content.
Moreover, he has pushed Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to lower interest rates and encouraged domestic manufacturing.
While respondents lean towards opposing presidential authority mentioned in the survey, none of the specific powers reached a majority opposition level of 50%.
Regarding whether the president should demand that a university “pay and modify policies for federal funds,” 44% said no, 30% yes, and 26% were unsure or skipped this question.
When asked if the president should be able to request that a business pay to operate domestically, 40% responded “yes,” 33% were undecided or skipped, and 27% said no.
Participants expressed mixed feelings about the president’s ability to request payments from foreign governments to settle trade disputes.
This poll surveyed 1,084 adults between September 5th and 9th, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
