Few support the latest round of executive orders

Findings of a new Ipsos poll on Americans' support for various proposed actions and executive orders signed by President Donald Trump in his third week of office

The author(s)
  • Mallory Newall Vice President, US, Public Affairs
  • Annaleise Azevedo Lohr Director, US, Public Affairs
  • Bernard Mendez Data Journalist, US, Public Affairs
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Washington DC, February 25, 2025—New Ipsos polling provided exclusively to Reuters finds that fewer than half of Americans support a variety of executive orders from the Trump administration. About two in five (42%) support the U.S. government using U.S. military bases and resources to house detained illegal immigrants before they are deported. A similar share (40%) supports the effort to quickly reduce the size of the federal government workforce through deferred resignations and firings. Thirty-seven percent support efforts to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID); fewer (32%) support proposals to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education or the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (24%). One in five support removing public health and statistical data collected by public health agencies (21%) or the U.S. taking control of the Gaza Strip and displacing the Palestinians who live there (20%).

For more polling on executive orders, follow the below links:

January 28, 2025: Support for some Trump executive orders is mixed

February 05, 2025: Support remains mixed for executive orders and actions

Less than half support Trump's executive actions and orders

About the Study

This Ipsos poll was conducted from February 7 to February 10, 2025, using the probability-based KnowledgePanel®. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,013 adults age 18 or older. The sample includes 263 Republicans, 322 Democrats, and 306 independents.

The survey was conducted using KnowledgePanel, the largest and most well-established online probability-based panel that is representative of the adult U.S. population. Our recruitment process employs a scientifically developed addressed-based sampling methodology using the latest Delivery Sequence File of the USPS – a database with full coverage of all delivery points in the U.S. Households invited to join the panel are randomly selected from all available households in the U.S. Persons in the sampled households are invited to join and participate in the panel. Those selected who do not already have internet access are provided a tablet and internet connection at no cost to the panel member. Those who join the panel and who are selected to participate in a survey are sent a unique password-protected log-in used to complete surveys online. As a result of our recruitment and sampling methodologies, samples from KnowledgePanel cover all households regardless of their phone or internet status and findings can be reported with a margin of sampling error and projected to the general population.

The data for the total sample were weighted to adjust for gender by age, race/ethnicity, education, Census region, metropolitan status, and household income. The demographic benchmarks came from the 2024 March Supplement of the Current Population Survey (CPS). The 2024 presidential vote choice benchmarks came from the federal elections 2024 election results for the U.S. President.

 

  • Gender (Male, Female) by Age (18–29, 30–44, 45-59 and 60+)
  • Race/Hispanic Ethnicity (White Non-Hispanic, Black Non-Hispanic, Other, Non-Hispanic, Hispanic, 2+ Races, Non-Hispanic)
  • Education (Less than High School, High School, Some College, Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree or higher)
  • Census Region (Northeast, Midwest, South, West)
  • Metropolitan status (Metro, non-Metro)
  • Household Income (Under $25,000, $25,000-$49,999, $50,000-$74,999, $75,000-$99,999, $100,000-$149,999, $150,000+)
  • 2024 Presidential Election Vote (Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, Other, Did not vote)

The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3.8 percentage points at the 95% confidence level, for results based on the entire sample of adults. The margin of sampling error takes into account the design effect, which was 1.49. For Republicans, the margin of sampling error is plus or minus 6.7 percentage points, and the design effect is 1.24. For Democrats, the margin of sampling error is plus or minus 6.9 percentage points, and the design effect is 1.59. For independents, the margin of sampling error is plus or minus 7.0 percentage points, and the design effect is 1.55.

The margin of sampling error is higher and varies for results based on sub-samples. In our reporting of the findings, percentage points are rounded off to the nearest whole number. As a result, percentages in a given table column may total slightly higher or lower than 100%. In questions that permit multiple responses, columns may total substantially more than 100%, depending on the number of different responses offered by each respondent.

For more information on this news release, please contact:

Chris Jackson
Senior Vice President, US
Public Affairs
+1 202 420-2025
[email protected]

Mallory Newall
Vice President, US
Public Affairs
+1 202 374-2613
[email protected]

About Ipsos

Ipsos is one of the largest market research and polling companies globally, operating in 90 markets and employing over 18,000 people.

Our passionately curious research professionals, analysts and scientists have built unique multi-specialist capabilities that provide true understanding and powerful insights into the actions, opinions and motivations of citizens, consumers, patients, customers or employees. Our 75 solutions are based on primary data from our surveys, social media monitoring, and qualitative or observational techniques.

Our tagline "Game Changers" sums up our ambition to help our 5,000 customers move confidently through a rapidly changing world.

Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos has been listed on the Euronext Paris since July 1, 1999. The company is part of the SBF 120 and Mid-60 indices and is eligible for the Deferred Settlement Service (SRD). ISIN code FR0000073298, Reuters ISOS.PA, Bloomberg IPS:FP www.ipsos.com

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The author(s)
  • Mallory Newall Vice President, US, Public Affairs
  • Annaleise Azevedo Lohr Director, US, Public Affairs
  • Bernard Mendez Data Journalist, US, Public Affairs

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