A new Reuters/Ipsos poll suggests that many Americans are uneasy about President Donald Trump’s recent moves to expand presidential authority — from sending troops into U.S. cities to
trying to exert more control over the economy.
The survey found that most people, across party lines, want limits on presidential power and aren’t convinced that Trump’s actions are necessary.
“President Trump has not convinced most Americans that there is an emergency … that requires greatly expanded presidential power,” said David Hopkins, a political scientist at Boston College.
Troops in U.S. Cities
In recent weeks, Trump’s administration took command of Washington, D.C.’s police department and deployed the National Guard to the city, saying crime was out of control. He has also floated the idea of sending troops to Chicago and New Orleans.
But the poll shows only 32% of Americans would feel safer with soldiers patrolling big cities. Support was higher among Republicans (62%), but far lower among independents (25%) and Democrats (10%).
While crime is a concern, just 20% of respondents said they often feel unsafe where they live. Only about one-third avoid big cities due to crime — though about half of Republicans say they do.
“People agree that crime and safety are issues, but they think Trump’s abuse of power doesn’t fix the problem — it makes it worse,” said Democratic strategist Jesse Ferguson.
Taking on the Economy
Trump has also made unusually direct moves to influence the economy. He’s pushed for the government to take a 10% stake in Intel, demanded a cut of Nvidia’s profits from sales in China, and pressured the Federal Reserve to slash interest rates. He even tried to fire a Fed governor over unproven allegations of mortgage fraud.
He has defended tariffs on foreign goods as a matter of national security and threatened companies like Apple if they don’t expand U.S. operations.
Still, the poll found little public support for giving the president such power. Just 16% of Americans — including only 2% of Democrats and about one-third of Republicans — thought the president should be able to set interest rates or dictate where companies manufacture products.
Support and Skepticism
Trump’s overall approval rating remains steady at 42%, with nine in ten Republicans backing him. But even many of his own supporters hesitate when it comes to giving him unchecked authority.
“Even if citizens have concerns about crime or the economy, they don’t see either issue as such an unprecedented crisis that it demands unprecedented measures,” Hopkins said.
Most voters also agree on one point: the president should respect court rulings, even when he disagrees with them. That view was held by 90% of Democrats and 70% of Republicans.
When asked if they’d be willing to sacrifice some checks and balances for a government that could act faster, 39% of Republicans said yes, compared to just 17% of Democrats and independents.
Declining National Confidence
The poll also revealed a shift in how Americans see their country. Fewer people today believe the U.S. is “the greatest country in the world” — 29%, down from 38% in 2017. The drop was sharpest among Democrats, but Republicans also showed a decline.
The nationwide online survey included 1,084 adults and carries a margin of error of about three percentage points. Photo by Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, Wikimedia commons.