• Polling

Americans View Tech CEO Influence in the Trump Administration as a Negative

Monday, March 3, 2025 By Maryann Cousens
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Poll: Tech CEOs, DOGE

This Navigator Research report contains polling data on the latest perceptions of tech CEO and billionaire influence in the Trump administration, including how much influence they have and whether it is a good or bad thing, as well as the share of Americans who know someone who has been affected by government cuts. 

Majorities of Americans view Musk’s and other tech CEOs’ involvement in the Trump administration as a bad thing.

 

Three in four Americans believe Elon Musk and other tech CEOs have influence in the Trump administration (74 percent), including 47 percent who believe they have “a lot” of influence, up 10 points from earlier this month (37 percent). By 16 points, a majority of Americans view the influence of tech CEOs like Musk as a bad thing (36 percent good thing – 52 percent bad thing), including 83 percent of Democrats, 52 percent of independents, and 20 percent of Republicans.

  • Elon Musk’s favorability is underwater by 10 points (41 percent favorable – 51 percent unfavorable), including among independents by 24 points (30 percent favorable – 54 percent unfavorable) and those who voted for another candidate or who did not vote in the 2024 presidential election by 28 points (26 percent favorable – 54 percent unfavorable).
  • Views of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are slightly favorable (net +4; 40 percent favorable – 36 percent unfavorable) as are ratings of just “DOGE” (net +3; 37 percent favorable – 34 percent unfavorable), but when framed as “Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE),” favorability is underwater by 9 points points (37 percent favorable – 46 percent unfavorable) and when framed as “Elon Musk’s DOGE,” favorability is even further underwater (net -13; 35 percent favorable – 48 percent unfavorable).
Bar graph from Navigator Research showing opinions on Musk influence
Bar graph from Navigator Research showing Musk popularity
Bar graph from Navigator Research showing opinions of Musk's DOGE

One in five Americans know someone who has lost access to federal services, with shares much higher among younger Americans.

 

20 percent of Americans know someone (either themselves, a close friend or family member, or an acquaintance) who has lost access to federal services, such as health care. This includes 33 percent of Americans under the age of 35. 17 percent of Americans also cited knowing someone who had been laid off or quit a government job, including 29 percent of Americans under the age of 35. 

  • Reminder: Three in four younger Americans are concerned that DOGE’s spending cuts will lead to repealing the ACA or bigger cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security (75 percent and 74 percent, respectively).
Bar graph from Navigator Research showing shares who know someone who has lost a government job

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About The Study

Global Strategy Group conducted a public opinion survey among a sample of 1,000 registered voters from February 20-February 24, 2025. 100 additional interviews were conducted among Hispanic voters. 74 additional interviews were conducted among Asian American and Pacific Islander voters. 100 additional interviews were conducted among African American voters. 100 additional interviews were conducted among independent voters. The survey was conducted online, recruiting respondents from an opt-in online panel vendor. Respondents were verified against a voter file and special care was taken to ensure the demographic composition of our sample matched that of the national registered voter population across a variety of demographic variables. The margin of error for the full sample at the 95 percent level of confidence is +/- 3.1 percentage points. The margin of error for subgroups varies and is higher.

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About Navigator

In a world where the news cycle is the length of a tweet, our leaders often lack the real-time public-sentiment analysis to shape the best approaches to talking about the issues that matter the most. Navigator is designed to act as a consistent, flexible, responsive tool to inform policy debates by conducting research and reliable guidance to inform allies, elected leaders, and the press. Navigator is a project led by pollsters from Global Strategy Group and GBAO along with an advisory committee, including: Andrea Purse, progressive strategist; Arkadi Gerney, The Hub Project; Joel Payne, The Hub Project; Christina Reynolds, EMILY’s List; Delvone Michael, Working Families; Felicia Wong, Roosevelt Institute; Mike Podhorzer, AFL-CIO; Jesse Ferguson, progressive strategist; Navin Nayak, Center for American Progress Action Fund; Stephanie Valencia, EquisLabs; and Melanie Newman, Planned Parenthood Action Fund.

For press inquiries contact: press@navigatorresearch.org