How Americans feel about Trump’s executive orders

Insights into the New America brought to you by Clifford Young, Sarah Feldman, and Bernard Mendez.

Though it’s been less than three weeks since President Donald Trump began his second stint in the White House, much has changed.

His administration is already deep in the weeds reshaping the federal government and immigration policy. So far, the executive order has been Trump’s tool of choice when it comes to reshaping the nation.

Trump has already signed more than 50 executive orders, ranging from tariffs to federal government hiring freezes to closing DEI offices in the federal government.

How has the public responded? Below are five charts on Trump’s executive orders and how Americans feel about these executive orders.

1. Trump’s approval rating. Trump entered office with a 49% approval rating – a significant boost compared to when he left office in 2021 and an overall good place in today’s polarized political landscape. But Trump is in his honeymoon period. Historically, approval ratings tend to wane after around 6 months. Time is ticking.
2. Flurry of executive orders. The number of executive orders signed by Trump this early in his presidency is unprecedented in recent history. The same was true of Biden’s presidency. Given the growing use of executive orders early in a presidency, is this the new norm?
3. Reshaping the government. In general, Americans favor downsizing the federal government. But fewer support some of the methods the Trump administration has been using to achieve this, largely divided along party lines.
4. Executive orders divide. The reception to many of Trump’s executive orders has been mixed, with opinion largely cutting along party lines. Notably, few have a majority support among all Americans. This divided nation remains divided.
5. The bottom line. The economy is largely the reason Trump is back in office and remains the issue Americans care most about. How Trump’s policies affect the economy will have the greatest impact on his job approval.

Trump 2.0 isn’t like the Trump of old. Trump entered his second term touting a mandate to reshape America in his vision. However, many of these changes are polarizing. Stay tuned.

What are the signals to watch out for as we watch this new administration take shape? Pay attention to whether they align with Americans on the economy.

Want more insights? Join us for our next Know the New America Public Opinion Update on February 25.