Americans' views on the role of government are shifting

The Ipsos Consumer Tracker asks Americans questions about culture, the economy and the forces that shape our lives. Here's one thing we learned this week.

Why we asked: During the change-over from the Biden administration to the Trump administration, we asked an extended battery on American values and opinions related to various realms of government responsibility from the economy to education. We did this with the intent of trending those as policies change and take effect. 

What we found: Two statements in this particular battery were among the highest-agreed-upon of the entire 37-statement survey we fielded back in December 2024: First, we think homeownership is part of the American Dream and second, we think government should support that by helping keep mortgage rates low. Support for both of those statements has increased since December, with virtually no partisan splits. 

Support has also risen (up 8 points to 64%) for the government having a role in reducing carbon emissions from fuel (there is a partisan split on that, but half of Republicans agree, too).

And despite moves by the Trump administration to move cryptocurrency further in to the mainstream, very few Americans see it as a safe investment… yet (flat at just 19%).

More insights from this wave of the Ipsos Consumer Tracker:

Nearly half of Americans don’t have any cash left over after paying bills

Americans are stressed but also hopeful. Here's why both are possible.

The more we know about artificial sweeteners, the less we want to consume them

The Ipsos Vibe Check: Here's how Americans feel about the government this week 

The Ipsos Care-o-Meter: What does America know about vs. what does America care about?