Nearly 6 in 10 Americans believe President-elect Trump will perform a “good” job during his second term in the White House, according to a survey released Thursday. The new CNN poll found that 56 percent of respondents expect Trump to do a “very good” or “fairly good” job as president in his second term. In contrast, 43 percent said they believe he will be a “fairly poor” or “very poor” president.
Among respondents, 55 percent approve of the president-elect’s handling of his transition, while 45 percent disapprove. These numbers are unchanged from the December version of the survey. Trump’s favorability is nearly split, with 46 percent expressing a favorable view of him, while 48 percent view him unfavorably.
Despite Republicans holding control of the House, Senate, and White House, 53 percent of respondents said having the GOP in control of all three branches is “bad” for the country. Additionally, 56 percent of respondents believe that, one year from now, economic conditions will be either very or somewhat good.
According to the poll, 80 percent of respondents said it is at least likely that Trump will impose tariffs on goods coming from China, Canada, and Mexico, the U.S.’s largest trading partners. In November, Trump threatened the three countries with tariffs if they did not take action to curb the influx of fentanyl into the U.S. and secure their borders. Mexico and Canada would face a 25 percent tariff, while China would be subject to a 10 percent tariff.
According to the poll, 74 percent of respondents believe it is at least likely that the president-elect will be able to carry out his plan for mass deportations of immigrants without permanent legal status, a promise he made repeatedly on the campaign trail. Additionally, about 58 percent think it is at least likely that Trump will succeed in sealing the U.S. southern border.
In a surprise announcement on Tuesday morning, Trump revealed that his administration would be launching an “External Revenue Service” aimed at collecting tariffs and revenue from foreign countries he claims are manipulating the international economy to the detriment of the United States.
The news, shared by the president-elect on Truth Social, was a welcome surprise to supporters who back the Republican’s push for steep tariffs on countries like China, India, and Mexico. These countries are accused of stifling the U.S. economy by utilizing overseas labor to produce goods at lower costs before importing them. Trump framed the change as a way to shift the burden of funding the federal government away from American taxpayers and onto the countries that benefit most from a strong U.S. economy.
Trump wrote: “For far too long, we have relied on taxing our Great People using the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Through soft and pathetically weak Trade agreements, the American Economy has delivered growth and prosperity to the World, while taxing ourselves. It is time for that to change. I am today announcing that I will create the EXTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE to collect our Tariffs, Duties, and all Revenue that come from Foreign sources. We will begin charging those that make money off of us with Trade, and they will start paying, FINALLY, their fair share. January 20, 2025, will be the birth date of the External Revenue Service. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Disclaimer: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.