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SOTU Report: 26 Polls Showing that Voters Hate Tariffs Ahead of 2026 Midterms


WASHINGTON, D.C. – February 24, 2026 – Ahead of tonight’s State of the Union address, We Pay the Tariffs today released a comprehensive polling report to congressional offices documenting 26 national and state-level polls conducted over the past 12 months that demonstrate the deep and growing unpopularity of tariffs among American voters. The report is being shared with offices on both sides of the aisle ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.


The full report is available HERE


As President Trump prepares to address the nation and double down on his tariff agenda, now using Section 122 tariffs announced in the wake of the Supreme Court finding IEEPA tariffs unlawful, the polling data paints an unmistakable picture: tariffs remain deeply unpopular across party lines, demographics, and geography. From Fox News to the New York Times, from Gallup to Pew Research, the findings all show that a majority of Americans oppose tariffs and believe they are driving up the cost of living.


Key findings from the 26 polls include:

  • 64% of Americans disapprove of how Trump is handling tariffs (ABC News/IPSOS, February 2026)

  • 60% of Americans approve of the Supreme Court striking down most Trump tariffs (YouGov, February 2026)

  • Only 37% of voters approve of President Trump’s tariffs (Fox News, February 2026)

  • More than 65% of voters said tariffs have made everyday items—including food, health care, housing, and transportation—less affordable (CFR/Morning Consult, January 2026)

  • Only 22% of Trump voters said tariffs are helping the economy both now and in the long term (Politico, December 2025)

  • 89% of adults think tariffs are likely to result in higher prices (Gallup, April 2025)


“The polls all tell the same story: voters really dislike tariffs and the high prices they cause,” said Dan Anthony, Executive Director of We Pay the Tariffs. “As the Administration doubles down on tariffs despite the Supreme Court decision, it’s up to Congress to push back. We’re sharing these polls with all congressional offices ahead of the midterms because they will be judged on the response to these deeply unpopular policies, not the President.”


The report spans polls from 26 sources including YouGov, ABC News/IPSOS, Pew Research Center, Fox News, NPR/PBS/Marist, the New York Times/Siena, Gallup, Harvard CAPS Harris, and others. It includes national polls as well as state-level surveys from Texas, Michigan, Ohio, Arizona, North Carolina, and Georgia—many of which are critical battleground states heading into 2026.


The 26 Polls Featured in the Report:

  • YouGov, February 2026 – 60% of Americans approve of the Supreme Court striking down most Trump tariffs

  • ABC News/IPSOS, February 2026 – 64% of Americans disapprove of how Trump is handling tariffs

  • Pew Research Center, February 2026 – 6 in 10 Americans disapprove of the Trump administration’s increased tariffs

  • NPR/PBS/Marist, February 2026 – 58% of registered voters said tariffs hurt the U.S. economy

  • The Economist/YouGov, February 2026 – 51% of Americans say tariffs should decrease

  • Fox News, February 2026 – Only 37% of voters approve of President Trump’s tariffs

  • NYT/Siena, February 2026 – 55% of Americans oppose tariffs imposed by President Trump

  • Marquette Law, January 2026 – 62% of adults disapprove of the way President Trump is handling tariffs

  • CFR/Morning Consult, January 2026 – More than 65% of voters said tariffs made everyday items less affordable

  • Harvard CAPS Harris, January 2026 – 51% of voters oppose tariffs on goods from China, Mexico, and Canada

  • Politico, December 2025 – Only 22% of Trump voters said tariffs are helping the economy now and in the long term

  • Texas Politics Project, December 2025 – 68% of Texas voters are concerned about U.S. tariff policy

  • The Washington Post, November 2025 – 6 in 10 Americans said tariffs contribute to inflation and harm the economy

  • NBC News, November 2025 – Two thirds of registered voters say the administration has fallen short on the economy

  • Small Business Majority, November 2025 – Nearly half of small business owners increased prices due to tariffs

  • Detroit Regional Chamber, October 2025 – 71.5% of Michigan voters say they’re paying more due to tariffs

  • Bowling Green State University, October 2025 – 60% of Ohio voters oppose Trump’s tariff policies

  • Morning Consult/NRF, May 2025 – 56% of voters believe tariffs will negatively impact small businesses

  • Noble Predictive Insights, May 2025 – 51% of Arizona voters said tariffs hurt the economy

  • Meredith College Poll, April 2025 – 53% of North Carolina voters doubt tariffs will have a positive economic effect

  • AJC, April 2025 – 52.3% of Georgia voters oppose tariffs on foreign goods

  • IPSOS, April 2025 – Three in four Americans say tariffs should be targeted, not universal

  • Gallup, April 2025 – 89% of adults think tariffs are likely to result in higher prices

  • NYT/Siena, April 2025 – 55% of Americans oppose tariffs imposed by President Trump

  • CNN/SSRS, April 2025 – 55% of Americans said the President’s tariff actions have been bad policy

  • Elon University, February 2025 – 50% of Americans anticipated tariffs would have negative consequences for small businesses


About We Pay the Tariffs

We Pay the Tariffs is a grassroots coalition of over 900 small businesses that advocates against tariffs. Members include restaurants, manufacturers, retailers, game companies, importers, and other enterprises from every U.S. region. The vast majority of members are micro businesses with 10 or fewer employees. For more information: www.wepaythetariffs.com


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