Most Americans Say Trump Focuses Too Much on Tariffs, Not Enough on Lowering Prices: Poll

Most Americans believe President Donald Trump has focused too much on tariffs and not enough on lowering prices, a new CBS News poll shows. The findings indicate that concerns over rising prices remain a significant issue for the public, with many skeptical that the administration's trade policies will improve their financial situation.

Overall, almost two thirds of Americans (64%) believe the Trump administration is not focusing enough on lowering prices, while 31% believes his focusing the right amount and just 5% answering that his focusing too much. On the flipside, 7% believe the admin not focusing enough on tariffs, while 38% believe it's doing so in the right amount and 55% that it's putting too much attention on the issue.

Furthermore, the CBS News poll shows that a majority of respondents say tariffs will likely lead to higher prices rather than economic benefits, even though the administration has argued that tariffs could bring long-term advantages in that regard.

The skepticism extends even to some Republican voters. Before Trump took office, three-fourths of Republicans believed his policies would make them better off financially; now, fewer than half still hold that view. Among the general public, only a quarter of Americans say Trump's policies are improving their finances, while nearly twice as many say they are worse off.

The poll also highlighted broader public concerns about the economy, with inflation continuing to shape perceptions of economic health. Although Biden receives more blame than Trump for inflation, the president's approval rating on economic matters has declined, with a majority disapproving of his handling of the matter.

Despite the economic concerns, Trump maintains strong approval on immigration, particularly his deportation policies. The CBS News poll found that his stance on the issue remains a key factor in his overall approval ratings, especially among Republicans. These results align with a separate Pew Research Center poll from last week, which found that almost 3 in 10 Americans (32%) support the deportation of all undocumented immigrants, while 51% believe some should be removed under certain conditions.

According to Pew, nearly all respondents who support some level of deportation (97%) favor removing undocumented individuals convicted of violent crimes, while a smaller majority (52%) endorse deporting those guilty of non-violent offenses.