In a recent survey released by AAPI Data and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, it was revealed that the majority of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders do not support the strategy of eliminating entire federal agencies, nor do they back massive layoffs of government employees. Instead, these communities are urging that the federal government prioritizes addressing everyday living costs, with health care expenses at the top of their list.
The poll indicates that approximately 80% of AAPI adults believe reducing health care costs should be a “high priority” for the government, followed by the cost of food at 70%, and around 60% of respondents expressing the same sentiment towards housing. This survey is part of an ongoing initiative to capture the perspectives of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, who are often underrepresented in national surveys due to language barriers and sample size limitations.
These findings emerge at a time when the Trump administration, under the new Department of Government Efficiency, headed by adviser Elon Musk, is implementing what it terms as cost-cutting measures. These include significant layoffs across federal agencies and discussions around the potential dismantling of the Department of Education.
Around 60% of AAPI participants in the poll stated they “strongly” or “somewhat” oppose the elimination of entire federal agencies, with only about 10% in favor. This is slightly lower than the 20% of a broader U.S. adult demographic supporting such a move, as noted in a previous AP-NORC poll. Moreover, nearly half of the AAPI respondents expressed opposition to large-scale federal job cuts, with about one-quarter supporting the idea.
Celeste Hong, a 56-year-old Democrat from Los Angeles, expressed her frustration with the current focus of these cost-saving measures. She criticized the government’s focus and expressed concern over a lack of action on crucial issues like health care, child care, and food expenses. Hong also worries about the potential rise in costs due to Trump’s tariff policies, pondering how families living paycheck to paycheck could cope.
The survey revealed that two-thirds of AAPI adults feel the country is investing “too little” in improving the education system. Likewise, around 60% think there is a similar underinvestment in public health, environmental protection, and addressing homelessness. Interestingly, when it comes to military spending, nearly half of the AAPI population believes the nation is overspending.
However, for individuals like Stacy Armstrong, a 61-year-old Republican from Bay City, Michigan, government spending is seen as insufficient in areas like defense, higher education, and health care. He criticizes what he perceives as wasteful foreign aid, suggesting that funds should be reallocated domestically. While he voted for Trump and supports streamlining government operations, he also opposes the idea of dismantling entire federal agencies.
Karthick Ramakrishnan, executive director of AAPI Data and a researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, noted the nuanced views among conservative AAPI adults. These individuals often seek practical solutions over partisan politics and are open to giving current strategies a chance, even if they may be skeptical about certain measures.
The survey underscores a potential shift among AAPI voters, who traditionally lean Democratic but showed a slight movement to the right in recent elections, highlighting the impact of economic concerns on voting behaviors.
This survey included 1,170 U.S. adults who are Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders and was conducted over the period of February 4-11, 2025. The sample, drawn from NORC’s Amplify AAPI Panel, was designed to be representative and included interviews conducted online and by phone in multiple languages with a margin of sampling error of ±4.7 percentage points.
