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Three weeks into the Trump administration, a majority of Americans—54%—including majorities of Democrats and independents, are worried about the prospects of the new administration. Further, there is evidence that a growing number of Americans are worried about publicly criticizing American policies toward the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. These are some of the key findings in the latest University of Maryland Critical Issues Poll. The probability-based survey was fielded by SSRS on its Opinion Panel Omnibus platform from February 7-February 9, 2025, among a sample of 1,005 respondents. The margin of error is +/-3.8% at the 95% confidence level. The data were weighted to represent the target population of U.S. adults ages 18 or older. Here are five key findings: First, when asked to characterize their “overall outlook for President Trump’s new administration,” 54% of respondents said they are “very worried” (40%) or “somewhat worried” (14%), compared to 37% who said they are “very hopeful” (23%) or “somewhat hopeful” (14%). Just 9% of respondents said they are “neither worried nor hopeful.” Not surprisingly, American attitudes are divided along partisan lines: While 90% of Democrats are worried, only 17% of Republicans report feeling the same. A majority of independents, 54%, also say they are worried; while 77% of Republicans say they are hopeful, only 6% of Democrats and 35% of independents say the same.
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Second, we asked respondents to identify the three issues about which they are most worried and most hopeful, among a list of 16 such issues: First Amendment rights (freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly); democratic institutions; federal agencies and departments; income inequality; climate change; minority groups; overall economy, U.S. involvement in international conflicts/war; NATO; the appointment of judges; reproductive rights; LGBTQ+ communities; immigration and deportation; international trade; international organizations; and gun rights. The “overall economy” was most frequently selected where respondents were worried (27%) and hopeful (37%). Other issues frequently topping the list of worries included “US involvement in international conflicts/war” (20%), “immigration and deportations” (20%), “reproductive rights” (18%), “First Amendment rights” (18%), and “minority groups” (17%). Topping the list of hopeful issues, besides the economy, were “immigration and deportation” (35%), “First Amendment rights” (16%), “US involvement in international conflicts/war” (16%), and “federal agencies and departments” (15%). The least frequently mentioned issues on the list of top three issues respondents were worried about were “international organizations” (4%), “gun rights” (5%), and “NATO” (5%). Regarding the list of top three issues respondents are most hopeful about, the least frequently mentioned issues were “NATO” (1%), “democratic institutions” (2%), “international organizations” (3%), “climate change” (3%), and “reproductive rights” (3%). Overall, 43% of respondents said they are not hopeful about any of the issues, compared to 27% who said they are not worried about any of the issues. The partisan divide was deep. Democrats were most worried about the “overall economy” (35%), “reproductive rights” (28%), “immigration and deportation” (28%), “First Amendment rights” (26%) and “minority groups” (25%). Republicans were most hopeful about the “overall economy” (65%), “immigration and deportation” (63%), “First Amendment rights” (28%), “federal agencies and departments” (24%), and “US involvement in international conflicts/war” (23%). Third, as Americans express concerns about First Amendment rights, there is evidence that they feel the need to be more careful about publicly criticizing American foreign policy under Trump than under Joe Biden. In particular, we probed attitudes on the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Palestine issues and found that Americans feel the need to be more careful when publicly discussing the Israeli-Palestinian issue than when discussing the Russia-Ukraine issue. Americans also worry more about criticizing Israelis than Palestinians. While this was also the case when we probed the issue in March 2024, there are two notable changes since Trump assumed the presidency. First, worry about criticizing U.S. policy toward the Israeli-Palestinian issue has increased in relative terms to concern about criticizing Israel or the Palestinians. Second, in contrast with 2024, when a plurality of Republicans who felt a need to be careful when discussing the Israeli-Palestinian issue publicly were concerned about criticizing the Palestinians, the latest poll shows that a plurality of Republicans who feel the need to be careful on the Israeli-Palestinian issue, like Democrats and independents, now worry about criticizing Israel. As noted in the conclusion, these differences are likely due to the impact of Trump’s presidency.
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Overall, 31% of respondents (including 20% of Republicans, 36% of Democrats, and 37% of independents) said they feel the need to be extra careful when criticizing Israel, the Palestinians, or U.S. policy toward the Israeli-Palestinian issue, compared to 22% of respondents who feel the same need when criticizing Ukraine, Russia, or U.S. policy toward the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Of those who said they are careful about the Israeli-Palestinian issue, 39% (including 49% of Republicans, 38% of Democrats, and 38% of independents) say they are “extra careful when criticizing Israel,” 25% (including 25% of Republicans, 23% of Democrats, and 32% of independents) say they are “extra careful when criticizing the Palestinians,” and 35% (including 26% of Republicans, 38% of Democrats, and 29% of independents) say they are “extra careful when criticizing U.S. policy.”
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In comparison, 22% (including 19% of Republicans, 23% of Democrats, and 26% of independents) say they feel the need to be extra careful when criticizing Russia, Ukraine, or U.S. policy when discussing the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Of those, 25% said they are “extra careful when criticizing Russia,” 23% (including 28% of Republicans, 14% of Democrats, and 21% of independents) are “extra careful when criticizing Ukraine,” and 52% (including 40% of Republicans, 56% of Democrats, and 60% of independents) are “extra careful when criticizing U.S. policy.” Fourth, nearly two-thirds of Americans (65%) say that Biden’s handling of the Gaza war has damaged his legacy, including 32% who say it has “substantially damaged” it, compared to 9% who say Biden’s handling of the Gaza war has improved his legacy and 26% who said it “has not impacted his legacy.” While a majority of Republicans (81%) and independents (68%) said Gaza has damaged Biden’s legacy, it is also notable that 48% of Democrats agree, compared to 15% of Democrats who say Biden’s handling of Gaza has improved his legacy and 36% who say his legacy has not been impacted by it.
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Fifth, 46% of Americans, including 69% of Democrats, 48% of independents, and 20% of Republicans, say that the likelihood of war with Iran has increased under Trump, compared to 25% who say the prospect of war has decreased, and 30% who say the likelihood has neither increased nor decreased.
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Conclusion The gap between worry and hope—17%—about the Trump administration so early in its term could be a sign of trouble ahead. While the large majority of Democrats expressing worry is hardly surprising, the majority of independents and 17% of Republicans expressing worry indicates concern. It is also notable that while 43% of Americans say they are not hopeful about the Trump administration’s handling of any of the issues, fewer respondents (27%) say they are not worried about any of the 16 issues offered. And while the economy is seen as the most hopeful issue among Republicans (65%), it is also seen by them as the most worrisome issue (22%). But one has to keep in mind that these are only some among many possible measures to evaluate the public’s attitudes toward the new administration, as there are many other quality polls using additional measures that one must also assess. As the Trump administration’s actions at home and abroad occur at rapid speed, one might expect public attitudes to shift, so one must be mindful, even more than usual, about the dates of the polls. Trump appears to have impacted the degree to which Americans feel comfortable discussing some foreign policy issues publicly. To be sure, Americans continue to feel a greater need to be more careful publicly discussing the Israeli-Palestinian issue than the Ukraine-Russia issue, and to worry more about criticizing Israel than criticizing the Palestinians. But the swing among Republicans from a year ago when they were more concerned about criticizing the Palestinians to now when they worry more about criticizing Israel is telling. Our poll was fielded several days after Trump announced his “plan” for Gaza, which was welcomed by Israeli leaders and included the displacement of Palestinians and the U.S. takeover of Gaza. It is possible that many Republicans are uncomfortable with these ideas and feel uneasy discussing them publicly because it would come across as being critical of Israel or the president. One recent poll has already found that Republicans are divided on Trump’s Gaza plan, with 46% supporting it and 43% opposing it. Also bolstering this possibility is the rise, in relative terms, in the proportion of respondents who say they feel uncomfortable criticizing U.S. policy on Israel-Palestine, compared with a year ago. It is also notable that more Americans (46%) say that the prospect of war with Iran has increased under Trump, compared to 25% who say it has decreased. In particular, the prospect of war with Iran as a spillover effect of the Gaza war loomed large under Biden, and Trump has downplayed the prospects of war with Iran since coming to office. But the Iran issue has not been center stage in the administration’s first three weeks, so public assessments may be based on other factors such as Trump’s high-profile withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal in his first term, and territorial ambitions the president has expressed recently toward Greenland, Canada, the Panama Canal, and Gaza.