Media criticism of the Trump administration following The Atlantic’s leak of Signal messages appears to have little impact on public perception of the president, according to a new CBS News poll showing Trump with a 50 percent approval rating. The poll, released Sunday morning, surveyed over 2,600 Americans nationwide on March 27 and 28, and appeared to show that President Donald Trump himself isn’t any worse for wear.
While most respondents viewed last week’s Signal incident—where National Security Adviser Mike Waltz mistakenly added Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg to an encrypted group chat discussing potential strikes on the Houthis—as “serious,” President Donald Trump’s job approval remains unaffected.
Opinions on the economy were more divided. According to the poll, 31 percent of Americans believe the Trump administration is doing the “right amount” to lower consumer prices, while 64 percent say it’s “not enough.” When it comes to tariffs, 38 percent feel the administration has imposed the “right amount,” whereas 55 percent believe it has gone “too far.” Only 5 percent of those surveyed said they support additional tariffs.
Many Americans continue to blame former President Joe Biden’s economic policies for current inflation, with 38 percent of respondents saying he is “more responsible” for the issue. A smaller share—34 percent—placed more responsibility on President Trump, while 19 percent said both are “equally” to blame, and 9 percent said “neither.” Overall, 48 percent of respondents said they approve of Trump’s current handling of the economy.
Trump scored even higher on immigration, with 53 percent approving of his approach. Support for his plan to deport illegal migrants was even stronger, with 58 percent in favor. Views on Trump’s efforts to reduce the size of federal agencies were evenly divided. Half of respondents said they support the administration’s actions—including the work of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—to shrink the federal bureaucracy.
