Marquette Poll Identifies Just How Unpopular Trump’s Tariffs and Musk Are
Majority of adults still favor deporting immigrants in the country illegally.
U.S Flag and money. (Pexels license)
Even before President Donald Trump‘s new tariffs sent financial markets tumbling, recent polling suggests they are politically unpopular.
Polling data released by the Marquette University Law School Wednesday shows a majority of U.S. adults believe tariffs will hurt the U.S. Economy: 58% said they will hurt the economy, 28% think it will help and 14% say it won’t make a difference.
The law school surveyed 1,021 adults across the country from March 17 to March 25. The reported margin of error is +/-3.5 percentage points.
Within a few hours of the polling release, the president announced a huge slate of tariffs — which are a tax on imported goods at the port of entry — on many of the U.S. biggest trading partners. When markets opened Wednesday morning financial traders signaled their own discomfort with the new policy. Major stock market indices like the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Nasdaq Composite, plunged along with stock prices for major local manufacturers like Harley-Davidson, Rockwell Automation and the parent company of Milwaukee Tool, Techtronic Industries.
The polling suggests public support for tariffs is very closely linked to political support for Trump. White, non-college-educated men, who make up a massive base of support for Trump, are the only demographic group where there is more support. However, a majority of white, non-college-educated men still either believe tariffs will hurt the economy (40%) or “won’t make much difference” (16%).
Similarly, most U.S. adults (58%) believe Trump’s economic policies will make inflation worse. Again, white, non-college men are the only demographic group with a majority of respondents (50%) reporting that they believe Trump’s policies will lower inflation.
Inflation, and the price of consumer goods, were a major issue during the 2024 presidential election. Trump promised repeatedly to lower costs during his campaign and eight out of 10 voters indicated the economy was a primary issue for them in the lead up to the election.
Who Likes Elon Musk?
Not many, or, at least not a majority of people, according to the polling.
Marquette Law School polling pegged Elon Musk‘s favorability at 38%, with 60% of U.S. adults expressing an unfavorable view of the worlds richest man. A majority of U.S. adults (58%) also disaprove of Musk’s work with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has been the driving force behind the Trump administrations slashing of the federal workforce and federal funding for local governments, infrastructure and research.
Approval of how Elon Musk is handling his work in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) stands at 41%, with disapproval at 58%. Musk’s personal favorability is 38%, with 60% unfavorable.
Other Issues Polled
- Deportation: 68% favor deporting “immigrants who are living in the United States illegally.”
- Abolishing Department of Education: 65% oppose abolishing the U.S. Department of Education.
- Presidential overreach: 64% say freezing spending or closing agencies is beyond the president’s powers.
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies: 50% in favor and 50% oppose. Majority of Republicans oppose. Majority of Democrats support.
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