Polling on the public’s opinion toward raising tariffs has produced some varying results, ranging from modest support to strong opposition.
A bare majority (52%) have expressed support for undefined “new tariffs” (YouGov/CBS News, November 2024). However, when asked specifically about the recently announced 25 percent tariff rates on Canada and Mexico, support drops to 33%. (YouGov, February 2025).
A full analysis of all the polling finds a clear trend: As the proposal becomes more specified, tariffs are defined, and respondents are given more options, support for raising tariffs drops substantially and opposition increases to a large majority. Polling with the most complete information and set response options—which reflect the actual policy landscape—finds opposition to raising tariffs at nearly seven in ten.
First, polls show that there has not been a spontaneous desire for raising tariffs. Given the opportunity to choose between making tariffs higher, lower, or keeping them the same, just 18% preferred higher tariffs in a February 2024 poll (YouGov). Notably, that level of support is only five percent higher than it was when the question was originally asked by Gallup over seventy years ago (Gallup, 1953).
When people are presented with the simple option of “new tariffs” without any explanation of what those tariffs would be, or which products or countries these new tariffs would be placed on, barely more than half (52%) express support with nearly as many opposed (48%) (YouGov/CBS News, November 2024). This can be interpreted as an openness to the idea but not an endorsement of a plan.
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When asked about a slightly more specific plan—“imposing a tariff of 10% on goods
imported to the U.S.”—but still without any clarification of whether this constitutes an increase or which countries would be affected, support drops below half (44%, with 27% opposed and 29% responding “not sure”) (YouGov, June 2024).
When respondents are told tariffs are new taxes, support also drops to below half (41%), with a majority of 54% opposed—suggesting that this is unclear for some people (Ipsos/Reuters, February 2025).
As mentioned before, when the proposal is quite specific—a 25 percent tariff rate on Canada and Mexico—support drops to 33%, with half in opposition (YouGov, February 2025).
Efforts to have respondents deliberate on the issue tend to lower support for new tariffs as well. When respondents were asked to think about the impact of higher tariffs on the economy as a whole, only 31% said it would help, while nearly half (48%) said it would hurt (NPR/PBS News/Marist, January 2025).
The survey with the most complete presentation of the issues and response options elicited very low support for new tariffs and high support for the continuation of low tariffs. A September 2024 survey provided a clear definition of tariffs, it explained that the U.S. has low tariff agreements with other countries (including Canada and Mexico), presented arguments for and against higher tariffs, and offered two response options. Just 31% supported raising tariffs to 10-20% across the board while 68% favored continuing to have mutually low tariffs with other countries, so long as they abide by agreed-on trade rules (Program for Public Consultation).
When the public is provided greater clarity on the actual policies under consideration—to more accurately reflect the policy landscape—a clear majority opposes raising tariffs, especially on the United States' biggest trading partners.
Evan Lewitus is a research analyst for the Program for Public Consultation.
Steven Kull is program director of the Program for Public Consultation.
