Mixed reactions to Trump’s China tariffs reveal public doubt
According to the latest report published by the Pew Research Center, Americans express mixed or mostly negative opinions about the economic aspects of President Donald Trump's foreign policy. What do they think about tariffs on China?
Increasing tariff rates on China have been met with a cool reception from U.S. residents. A survey by the Pew Research Center, one of the most recognized American institutes, shows that about half of Americans (52%) predict that tariffs imposed on Chinese goods will have a negative impact on the U.S. economy. At the same time, only 24% believe they will bring benefits. The remaining respondents are either unsure (19%) or believe they will have no impact (6%).
Regarding personal financial situations, the results are even more unequivocal. More than half of those surveyed (53%) say that the increased tariffs on Chinese products will harm them personally, and only 10% expect to benefit. About 17% of respondents believe these changes will have no impact on them, and 20% have no formed opinion on the matter. It should be noted that the Pew Research Center survey was conducted from March 24 to 30, when the tariffs on Beijing were not as high as they are currently (145%).
The viewpoint depends on political affiliation
Attitudes toward Trump's tariff policy vary significantly depending on the party affiliation of the respondents. Republicans and those with right-wing views are more likely than Democrats to see increased tariffs on goods from China as beneficial for the U.S. economy (44% compared to 5%). Right-wing voters are also more inclined to express uncertainty about the effects of this policy (24% compared to 11%) and are slightly more likely to believe it will have no real impact (8% compared to 3%).
On the other hand, Democrats are quite unanimous in their assessment that increased tariffs on Chinese products will harm the U.S. economy – as many as 80% of them believe so. Among Republicans, opinions are more diverse, although even among them, more people predict negative effects than positive ones.
Interestingly, even though Republicans are more likely than Democrats to express positive opinions about the tariffs (17% compared to 4%), overall Trump voters more often claim that the increased tariffs on China will have a negative impact on their personal financial situation than that they will benefit them (30% compared to 17%). About half of Republicans believe that the tariffs will have no real impact on them (27%) or are unsure of their effects (26%).
The vast majority of Democrats, however, are convinced that the tariffs will harm them personally – 75% of them say so. The rest are either unsure (13%) or predict no impact (8%), and only 4% believe they will be beneficial to them.
Generational differences in views on tariff policy
The Pew Research Center survey also shows significant differences in the assessment of tariff policy depending on the age of the respondents. Americans under the age of 30 are more skeptical of the potential benefits of tariffs than older citizens.
Among Republicans, younger voters (under 50) are more likely than older ones to believe that the tariffs will have a negative impact on their personal financial situation (36% compared to 23%). This data suggests that even among supporters of the ruling party, there is significant skepticism about the benefits of Trump’s trade policy, particularly among the younger generation.
In the case of Democrats, age does not significantly affect opinions on the personal effects of tariffs – negative attitudes dominate across all age groups.
Uncertainty is growing
The authors of the Pew Research Center report emphasize that uncertainty about the effects of economic policy is one of the dominant feelings among the American public. About one-fifth of Americans are unsure of the potential impact of increased tariffs on both the national economy and their personal financial situations. This uncertainty is particularly evident among Republicans, where nearly a quarter of respondents (24%) cannot clearly define how the tariffs will affect the U.S. economy.
The survey also shows that concerns about Trump’s tariff policy relate not only to potential damage to the entire economy but especially to the consequences for the household budgets of ordinary citizens. The administration's economic policy remains, therefore, one of the more controversial elements of the president’s actions on the international stage.
Other aspects of U.S. policy. "Favors Russia"
Americans also evaluated other aspects of President Trump’s foreign policy. According to the Pew Research Center survey, 43% of respondents think that Trump favours Russia in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, while 31% believe he maintains the proper balance.
Concerning relations with Israel and the Palestinians, opinions are more divided – 31% of those surveyed view Trump’s policy as too favourable to Israel, while 29% believe he maintains an appropriate balance. Proposals regarding U.S. acquisition of Greenland and Gaza also stir controversy – the majority of Americans oppose these ideas (54% and 62%, respectively), although among Republicans, support for acquiring Greenland reaches 41%.
The survey was conducted on a group of 3,605 adults from March 24 to 30, 2025.
