Poll: Tariffs

This Navigator Research report covers Americans’ views on tariffs, including their views on tariff rebate checks.

Tariffs Remain Broadly Unpopular

One year after so-called “Liberation Day” – President Trump’s April 2025 announcement of sweeping global tariffs that sent markets reeling – Americans remain deeply opposed to tariffs. Six-in-10 Americans are unfavorable toward tariffs (59%), while just three-in-10 Americans are favorable (29%) – a 30-point gap. Tariffs are about as unpopular as they were in Navigator’s April 2025 polling immediately after Liberation Day (30% favorable). Partisanship remains a guiding factor: just 7% of Democrats and 17% of independents report favorable views of tariffs, compared to just over half of Republicans (55%). That said, opposition from Democrats is far stronger than support from Republicans.

• Seven-in-10 MAGA Republicans say they view tariffs favorably (69%), compared to only a third of non-MAGA Republicans (34%).

When asked specifically if they support or oppose President Trump’s tariff plan, Americans broadly oppose. Net support for Trump’s tariff plan is at -21 (36% support – 57% oppose), while Democrats are at a net -81 (7% support – 88% oppose) and independents at net -42 (21% support – 63% oppose). Support for Trump’s tariff plan is significantly higher among MAGA than non-MAGA Republicans: MAGA Republicans support the plan by 77 points (87% support – 10% oppose), while net support from non-MAGA Republicans sits at just +2 (44% support – 42% oppose).

Support for Potential Tariff Rebate Checks Transcends Partisanship 

Two-thirds of Americans support $2,000 tariff rebate checks for consumers (66%). Three quarters of Republicans favor sending the tariff checks (75%), while 61% of Democrats and 56% of independents say the same.

• If checks were to go out, Americans overwhelmingly prefer sending them to consumers who paid higher prices rather than businesses that paid import taxes. Nearly eight-in-10 Americans say they would prefer consumers get the checks (78%), while just 9% say they should go to businesses. 

Americans Find Tariff Rebate Check Arguments Centered on Rising Costs More Compelling Than Arguments Focused on Legal Processes 

Tariff check arguments centered on how tariffs have raised costs are more compelling than arguments on legal processes. 

Compared to a conservative message about tariffs’ success, a cost-focused message outperforms it by 30 percentage points, while a legal-process message outperforms it by 14 points.

Conservative message: “The tariffs worked to bring in billions of dollars to the United States and now Americans should share in the success of this policy.” 

Cost-focused message (+30): “The tariffs raised costs for Americans by thousands of dollars a year, and therefore Americans should get a rebate from the money that was collected.”

Legal-process message (+14): “The Supreme Court ruled recent tariffs illegal and therefore Americans should get a rebate from the money that was stolen from them.”