Trump’s Steel and Aluminum Tariffs Have Become Less Popular, Too

President Donald Trump has seen weakening support for his tariff-focused trade agenda as voters have soured on his handling of the economy, and that dynamic is extending to his protectionist levies meant to shield American metal manufacturers from foreign competitors.

According to Morning Consult’s latest survey, roughly half of voters (48%) disapprove of the 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, up from 41% when we asked voters about them last month. The shift was driven by non-Republicans and lower earners — the same kinds of voters shifting positive sentiment away from Trump more broadly. 

Another 41% of voters approve of the tariffs (down from 44% in February), including 72% of Republicans and nearly half of voters from the richest households.

The disapproval of the steel and aluminum tariffs now matches the share who opposed Trump’s 25% tariffs on goods imported from Canada and Mexico earlier this month, but is higher than the share who oppose the more popular 20% tariffs on Chinese goods.

Amid the electorate’s shift against the broader tariffs on metals and goods from America’s neighbors, support for the economic actions against China has fallen too. However, more voters than not still support those levies. While a partisan divide remains, independents and lower earners are more supportive of the tariffs on Chinese goods than they are of Trump’s other actions.  

The bottom line

As we’ve shown you repeatedly, Trump’s focus on tariffs isn’t shared by Americans, who would far prefer he focus on lowering prices and, consequently, increasingly disapprove of his handling of the economy and trade policy. Retaliation from Canada, Mexico and Europe threatens to worsen that problem for Trump and the GOP, setting up a potential pickle for lawmakers, especially those in agricultural-heavy states whose farmers could face some pain.

For businesses looking to scuttle tariffs, there’s a strong political case to be made to Republicans in Congress that the public is turning ahead of the midterm elections. Given Trump’s meager tolerance for dissent, pressure from lawmakers on the White House will likely come across best in private. 

When it comes to Trump’s new tariffs on China, overtures to the administration and GOP should reinforce anti-China narratives and advocate for a more targeted approach that would have a lesser impact on both businesses and consumers — especially the lowest earners who have taken on a bigger role in Republican electoral victories.

American steel and aluminum manufacturers caught in the middle of shifting voter sentiment due to American’s price concerns can at least find solace in Trump’s apparent comfort in bucking public opinion, though there could be a limit to this. At the very least, those working to protect the metal manufacturers could work to push back on Trump’s more wide-ranging tariffs that are dragging down his party and help him frame a win for American manufacturing.