Recent polls indicate that Americans are significantly split along party lines regarding tariffs and international alliances in the U.S.
According to a survey by the Wall Street Journal, 77% of Republican voters have a largely favorable view of tariffs’ economic consequences, believing they lead to job creation, while 93% of Democrats assert they will increase prices and have predominantly negative outcomes.
In general, a majority of registered voters (54%) expressed a negative perspective on tariffs and did not back President Trump’s tariff initiatives.
A similar partisan divide was observed when participants were queried about the support they would extend to U.S. foreign alliances and other nations.
81% of Republican voters stated that the nation’s allies are not entirely accountable for their own defense, asserting that American taxpayers should no longer fund their protection, whereas 83% of Democrats claimed that foreign alliances are a vital asset and should be financed by taxes. 81% of Democrats held a favorable view of NATO, in contrast to only 31% of Republicans.
Furthermore, 83% of Democrats were in favor of the U.S. continuing financial aid to Ukraine amidst the current conflict with Russia, while 79% of Republicans disagreed.
Overall, a slim majority of 51% of voters advocated for a significant reduction in broader foreign aid, with 45% opposed. 92% of Republicans endorsed such reductions, while 85% of Democrats opposed.
The poll was conducted between March 27 and April 1, coinciding with Trump’s announcement of a 10% general tariff on goods entering the U.S. on the preceding Wednesday and specific tariffs aimed at several U.S. trading allies.
Following this announcement, the market experienced a steep decline, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropping by 2,200 points and the S&P 500 decreasing by 10% over Thursday and Friday.
On Monday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down by 349 points. It has since fallen by over 4,000 points following Trump’s imposition of mutual tariffs.
Trump defended his extensive tariffs on Sunday amid market declines, asserting that “nothing will decrease.”
“Examining the trade deficit, with certain countries, particularly China, it stands at $1 trillion,” Trump shared with the media aboard Air Force 1.
“We must address the trade gap with China, as we lose hundreds of billions of dollars there every year. Unless we resolve this issue, I will not engage in trade,” he added.
The president has consistently shown skepticism toward NATO, urging allies to contribute more to defense spending, claiming that the U.S. bears a disproportionate burden compared to the rest of the alliance.
Additionally, the Trump administration attempted to significantly reduce U.S. foreign aid and, shortly after Trump returned to the White House, froze billions in funds while dismantling the International Development Agency (USAID).
The Wall Street Journal poll was conducted from March 27 to April 1 among 1,500 registered voters, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.
