President Donald Trump’s second term has commenced with a focus on fulfilling significant campaign objectives, notably his promises to enforce stricter immigration regulations and achieve “energy dominance.”
In his initial appearance in the Oval Office for his second term, Trump enacted extensive pardons for individuals involved in the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol and proclaimed a “national emergency” at the southern border.
Many of his early actions are anticipated to resonate positively with the public. A recent poll indicates that a majority of Americans believe enhancing security at the U.S.-Mexico border should be prioritized, with nearly half advocating for it to be a high priority.
However, support is less robust for some of his other commitments, such as withdrawing from the Paris climate agreement, ramping up oil drilling on federal lands, and abolishing birthright citizenship. The same survey reveals that the decision to pardon a substantial number of individuals involved in the 2021 Capitol riot is particularly unpopular.
Public sentiment among U.S. adults appears to be divided when it comes to mass deportations; while many favor the deportation of immigrants with violent crime convictions, the idea of mass deportations is less well-received.
The White House recently outlined plans that may restrict asylum access, deploy troops to the U.S.-Mexico border, and eliminate birthright citizenship. A January poll suggests that removing immigrants from the country illegally who have committed crimes is viewed favorably, even if these individuals are legally present. Still, mass deportation is not widely accepted.
Approximately 80% of adults express support for deporting illegal immigrants convicted of violent crimes, while around 70% feel similarly about legal residents with violent crime convictions. Conversely, the proposal to deport undocumented immigrants without criminal records is contentious, with more adults opposing than supporting such a measure.
Efforts to terminate birthright citizenship face significant legal and public challenges. According to the poll, only about 30% of Americans endorse amending the Constitution to deny citizenship to children born in the U.S. to illegal immigrant parents, with a stark political divide—around 50% of Republicans favor this move, in contrast to merely 10% of Democrats.
Regarding the pardoning of those involved in the January 6 riots, Trump announced intentions to pardon around 1,500 individuals and commute six sentences. However, only about 20% of adults support pardoning the majority of participants in the attack, while a larger portion—approximately 60%—oppose the action strongly.
The American public’s response to the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement is also predominantly negative. The newly established administration has indicated a plan to exit the agreement aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, with around half of Americans opposing this decision. Among Republicans, support is lukewarm, with only about 20% favoring the withdrawal and a quarter remaining neutral.
A notable aspect of Trump’s early executive actions requires the return of federal workers to the office five days a week, a move that garners greater approval than some other proposals aimed at government efficiency. Republican lawmakers have advocated for more in-office work, and older adults tend to favor the full return of federal employees more than younger demographics.
Trump’s commitment to reversing the Biden administration’s initiatives promoting electric vehicles is also highlighted. Public reception to such policies is largely unfavorable, as about 60% of the population has expressed disapproval of rules mandating that electric vehicles make up a substantial portion of new vehicle sales in the U.S. by 2032. High costs and insufficient charging infrastructure are key factors contributing to public hesitance towards electric vehicle adoption.
As for energy production, Trump plans to issue executive orders aimed at relaxing regulations for oil and natural gas extraction to establish U.S. “energy dominance” by increasing drilling activities, including on federal property. However, public opinion on this approach remains tepid, with approximately one-third of Americans supporting increased drilling on federal lands, while almost 40% oppose it. Although this action finds favor among Republicans, it is less popular among Democrats and independents.
As the 2024 presidential election approaches, poll results suggest that a majority of voters prefer focusing U.S. energy policy on growing alternative energy sources, like solar and wind, rather than fossil fuel production.
Overall, these insights emerge from a recent poll conducted from January 9-13, which surveyed 1,147 adults and boasts a margin of error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.