Despite media narratives of division, multiple independent polls validate the America First Policy Institute’s findings: Trump’s agenda is resonating far beyond his base.
What to Know:
- AFPI found 65% of voters say Trump is keeping his promises, with strong support for policies on immigration, tariffs, and national defense.
- Independent polls confirm that 70% of Republicans and leaners support tariffs, and 72% favor more aggressive immigration enforcement.
- PRRI data aligns with AFPI, with 44% of Americans calling Trump a “strong leader”—mirroring AFPI’s 47% favorability on America First policies.
- A Marist poll showed immigration is seen as a top way to reduce living costs, underscoring the economic resonance of Trump’s border policies.
Gallup's national security index shows rising confidence among GOP and independents, bolstered by Trump’s defense-first posture and foreign policy clarity.
As President Donald Trump concludes the first 100 days of his second term, assessments of his performance vary dramatically. The America First Policy Institute (AFPI), led by Kellyanne Conway, presents a narrative of widespread support for Trump's agenda. In contrast, independent polls from reputable organizations depict a more critical public view, raising questions about the administration's direction and public approval.
AFPI's Perspective Suggests A Favorable Outlook
The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) recently released results from a national poll of 1,004 registered and likely voters, offering insight into current public perceptions of Donald Trump’s policy legacy. According to the AFPI’s published findings, the survey shows a 12-point net favorability toward “America First” policies, with 47% of respondents expressing a favorable view compared to 35% unfavorable.
Data from AFPI
The poll also suggests strong perceptions of follow-through on campaign pledges: 65% of those surveyed said Trump is fulfilling his promises, while 33% disagreed. This 32-point margin may help explain the enduring alignment between Trump and key segments of the electorate, even as broader national polls show mixed views.
Data from AFPI
Respondents also expressed confidence in national direction under Trump’s leadership. 50% said they believe America is stronger today than it was under the previous administration, and 51% said they feel safer.
Data from AFPI
While these findings align with the America First Policy Institute’s stated mission to “advance policies that prioritize American workers, families, and national strength,” other nonpartisan data sources offer a more nuanced picture. Organizations like the Pew Research Center and Gallup have reported more divided or fluctuating public opinion on issues such as national security and executive leadership, with responses often varying significantly along partisan lines.
Issue-based results in the AFPI poll indicate high levels of support for policies commonly associated with Trump’s administration. These include stricter immigration enforcement, the use of tariffs to pursue international policy goals, and initiatives aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing and energy production. More information on AFPI’s policy positions can be found in their Energy, Immigration, and Trade platforms.
Notably, the poll’s framing stands in contrast with recent independent findings. A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in April 2025 found that only 39% of Americans approved of Trump’s handling of the economy, with notable declines in support among independents. The same survey revealed growing concern over inflation and fears that Trump’s trade and tariff policies could worsen economic instability.
Data from Reuters/Ipsos
Separately, a PRRI survey found that skepticism about Trump’s leadership is particularly pronounced among younger Americans and suburban voters, many of whom expressed concerns about his handling of key issues like inflation, international diplomacy, and the stability of democratic institutions.
Broader Evidence for AFPI’s Findings
While some national polls present a more complicated picture of Trump’s approval ratings, a closer reading of recent data actually supports many of the core insights from the AFPI survey. In particular, voter sentiment around leadership strength, immigration enforcement, economic nationalism, and national security is consistent across both partisan and nonpartisan research.
Strong Leadership Still Resonates
The AFPI poll found that 65% of voters believe President Trump is keeping his promises—a number echoed in independent surveys that highlight the public’s perception of Trump as a determined, follow-through leader. For instance, a 2025 PRRI poll found that 44% of Americans—nearly half—describe Trump as a “strong leader who should be given the power he needs to restore America’s greatness.” While the PRRI headline emphasized polarization, that figure closely aligns with AFPI’s 47% favorable rating on “America First” policies.
Data from PRRI
Gallup polling has also consistently shown that leadership strength remains one of Trump’s most positively rated attributes, particularly among working-class voters, rural communities, and Republican-aligned independents. Even among issue-agnostic voters, Trump’s image as someone who “gets things done” continues to drive high marks on performance delivery.
Immigration and Border Security
AFPI’s poll found overwhelming support for the administration’s renewed emphasis on border security and immigration enforcement. This isn’t an outlier. According to a Pew Research Center national survey conducted in April 2025, 72% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents favor more aggressive immigration enforcement, which includes policies that have long been linked to the America First framework, such as quicker removals and more stringent asylum requirements.
Image generated by DALL-E
The connection between immigration and economic concerns is still strong, even among independents from pivot states. A March 2025 Marist poll found that 41% of Americans, including a sizable portion of independents, listed lowering illegal immigration as one of their top strategies for making life more affordable, along with lowering the cost of prescription drugs and healthcare.
Tariffs and Manufacturing Still Popular
While the Reuters/Ipsos topline shows that just 39% of Americans approve of Trump’s economic leadership, a deeper dive reveals strong policy-level support among key voter blocs. Among Republicans, 76% approve of Trump’s economic handling, and 70% back his trade agenda, including tariffs on imported goods—despite concerns about price increases.
Data from Reuters/Ipsos
Likewise, Pew Research found that 70% of Republicans and GOP-leaning independents support raising tariffs if it helps protect U.S. industries, and 62% favor reshoring manufacturing even if prices rise. These developments support AFPI's main contention, which is that the "America First" economic agenda's main tenets—industrial sovereignty, tariff diplomacy, and domestic job creation—have substantial support, especially when set apart from partisan rhetoric.
Safety and National Strength
AFPI reported that 50% of respondents believe the country is “stronger” under Trump and 51% say they feel “safer.” These are high benchmarks, especially in today’s political environment. Again, independent polls align with the directional trend.
According to Gallup's 2025 national security index, Republican and independent respondents' confidence in American safety from foreign threats rose significantly in early April, coinciding with Trump's national speech on defense posture and the peace-through-strength doctrine. Notably, the index had dipped during Harris's tenure but began climbing once Trump resumed office and restructured the Department of Defense.
Even some Democratic-aligned national security analysts, as noted in POLITICO’s Playbook, acknowledge that Trump’s shift from headline-grabbing “shock and awe” tactics to the quieter business of foreign policy dealmaking has played well with a significant share of the electorate.
Bridging the Divide with Common Ground
While polarization remains a defining feature of U.S. politics, there’s a deeper throughline running beneath the surface of recent polling: on several key policy domains—immigration, economic strength, trade enforcement, and national security—Trump’s second-term agenda enjoys real support that extends beyond his base.
AFPI’s poll captures these sentiments in a clear and compelling way, but it is not alone. Independent data sources, when interpreted beyond surface-level partisanship, often validate the core themes AFPI highlights: that Americans value strength, follow-through, and sovereignty in a time of global and domestic uncertainty.
Wrap Up
The contrasting narratives emerging from the America First Policy Institute and independent polling organizations highlight the complexity of gauging public opinion in today’s polarized political climate. While AFPI presents a narrative of strong support for Trump’s policy agenda—particularly on issues like immigration, trade, and national security—data from sources such as Pew Research Center, PRRI, Marist, and Reuters/Ipsos point to substantial unease among voters. Concerns around economic policy, executive power, and national unity remain prominent in these independent surveys.
Together, these differing accounts underscore a fundamental challenge: American voters are not aligned in their evaluation of leadership or policy priorities. As the administration looks ahead to 2028, acknowledging and addressing these divergent perspectives may prove essential to crafting a governing strategy that resonates beyond the partisan base and speaks to a broader, more fractured electorate.
