Concerns extended beyond economic matters: 65% of those polled said the Trump administration was attempting to avoid complying with federal court orders, while 64 % believed he was seeking to expand presidential powers too far; 62% said they felt the administration did not respect the rule of law.
Also read: Donald Trump orders US justice department to investigate Democrats’ top fundraising platformTrump also faced strong opposition on a range of policy issues. Majorities said they disapproved of his handling of stock market volatility, tariffs, foreign relations, and the economy overall. In particular, 71 % said they saw Trump’s tariffs as fuelling inflation, while only 31 % accepted the argument that his policies would ultimately strengthen the economy in the long term.
Despite the low approval ratings, Trump was still seen as more trustworthy than congressional Democrats when it came to dealing with the nation’s main problems, by 37% to 30%. However, a significant 30 % said they trusted neither party.
Support for Trump remained relatively firm among his core backers. Among those who voted for him in November, 94 % said they did not regret their decision. Nonetheless, the survey found that just 21 % of all respondents said they strongly approved of Trump’s job performance, the lowest level on record for him, while 44 % said they strongly disapproved.
| Demographic | Approval | Disapproval | Economic Assessment | Personal Financial Situation |
| Trump Voters (November) | 94% (no regret) | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| All Respondents | 21% | 44% | N/A | N/A |
| Non-college-educated White Men | 54% | N/A | 43% (deteriorated) | 33% (decline) |
| Republicans | 83% | 17% | N/A | N/A |
| Democrats | 7% | 93% | N/A | N/A |
| Independents | N/A | 60% | N/A | N/A |
Approval among non-college-educated white men, a key demographic for Trump, stood at 54%, matching his previous low among this group. About 43% of them said the economy had deteriorated under his leadership, and a third reported a decline in their personal financial situation.Republicans remained broadly supportive, with 83% approving of Trump’s performance. Among Democrats, 93% said they disapproved, as did 60% of independents.
The poll also pointed to widespread discontent with Trump’s management of the federal government — 58% of respondents said they worried he would do too much to reduce the size and role of government; 57% disapproved of his efforts to close federal agencies, lay off employees, and take action against political opponents.
| Concern | Percentage of Respondents |
| Worried about reducing government size and role | 58% |
| Disapproved of efforts to close federal agencies and lay off employees | 57% |
Public opinion was sharply divided over Trump’s moves to cut federal regulations: 52% thought such cuts would remove necessary protections for public health and safety, while 46% believed they would eliminate only unnecessary rules.
In the realm of foreign affairs, 49% said Trump had weakened U.S. leadership around the world, compared to 34% who thought he had strengthened it. On relations with Russia, 46% said Trump was too friendly, with opinions largely unchanged since a similar poll in 2017.
| Issue | Opinion | Poll Results |
| US Leadership Around the World | Weakened | 49% |
| US Leadership Around the World | Strengthened | 34% |
| Relations with Russia | Too Friendly | 46% |
Regarding Trump’s legal confrontations with federal judges, most Americans sided against the administration — 62% said judges were enforcing legal limits rather than interfering, and 67% supported allowing courts to block administration policies deemed harmful or likely illegal.
Although Trump’s standing has diminished, the Democratic Party was viewed even less favourably: 69% said the Democrats were out of touch with the concerns of most Americans, compared to 64% who said the same about the Republican Party and 60% who believed Trump himself was out of touch.
How many Americans think their leaders are out of touch with reality?
| Party/Leader | Polling |
| Democratic Party | 69% |
| Republican Party | 64% |
| Donald Trump | 60% |
The ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll was conducted online between 18 and 22 April 2025 among a random national sample of 2,464 adults. The margin of error is plus or minus two percentage points.
Also read: Trump’s next 100 days to feature trade deals, peace talks, ‘torpedoes,’ officials say
