Recent polling indicates that most Americans are against the implementation of new tariffs on Mexico and Canada. Prior to President Donald Trump's announcement of the tariffs over the weekend, surveys showed a majority of US adults opposing tariffs on imported goods from both countries.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted just after Trump's inauguration revealed that 60% of respondents opposed new tariffs on Canada, while 55% were against tariffs on Mexico. Similarly, a CBS/YouGov poll from November found that opinions on implementing new tariffs were evenly split, with 52% in favor and 48% opposed. However, 59% of respondents believed that tariffs would lead to higher prices, with only 18% expecting prices to decrease.
In a Quinnipiac University poll taken shortly after Trump took office, registered voters expressed concerns about the impact of US tariffs on the economy, with 48% believing they would do more harm than good.
Despite these findings, there is a possibility for opinions to shift once the tariffs are put into effect and consumers experience changes in prices. Approximately half of the public surveyed in the Reuters/Ipsos poll did not hold strong views either for or against tariffs on Canada or Mexico.
Looking ahead, early January polling indicated that 80% of US adults believed it was somewhat likely that Trump would impose tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada, and China. However, only 30% thought it was very likely that such tariffs would be implemented.
