Voters Tell Trump To Take His Trade War And Shove It

A new Quinnipiac University poll found that voters overwhelmingly oppose Trump’s plan to impose tariffs on aluminum and steel imports.

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According to the Q Poll, “American voters oppose 50 – 31 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum and disagree 64 – 28 percent with President Donald Trump’s claim that a trade war would be good for the U.S. and easily won, according to a Quinnipiac University National Poll released today. Every listed party, gender, education, age and racial group oppose steel and aluminum tariffs, except Republicans, who support tariffs by a lackluster 58 – 20 percent and white voters with no college degree, who are divided with 42 percent supporting tariffs and 40 percent opposed. American voters oppose these tariffs 59 – 29 percent, if these tariffs raise the cost of goods they buy. The tariffs will be good for American jobs, 26 percent say, while 36 percent say tariffs will be bad for jobs and 24 percent say the tariffs will have no impact on jobs. American voters disapprove 54 – 34 percent of the way President Trump is handling trade. Only Republicans and white voters with no college degree approve.”

The tariff poll is voters sending a loud message to Trump

Voters don’t buy what Trump is selling on tariffs, and more importantly, they seem to have a better grasp on how trade works than the President Of The United States. If he imposes the tariff, Trump will be blamed for price increases. When people pay more for food and consumer goods, Trump will get the blame. When jobs are lost due to retaliatory tariffs, those unemployed workers will blame Trump.

The American people are collectively screaming at Trump that the tariffs are a bad idea, but he is so desperate for a win, and so convinced that he is right, that Trump is going to plow forward and not listen to anyone else. Voters don’t want the tariffs, and unless Republicans in Congress can stop him, they will pay the price for Trump’s trade war folly in November.

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Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association