Americans might claim to have strong opinions on tariffs, but ask them the right way, and those opinions shift faster than a trending TikTok sound. The evidence? In the days after Donald Trump took office, more people Googled “tariffs” than “Taylor Swift.” That’s right—wonky trade policy briefly outshone America’s pop queen.
But do Americans actually understand tariffs? Or are pollsters shaping public opinion rather than measuring it?
The great tariff confusion
The New York Post reported that polls on tariffs reveal a startling truth: how you frame the question dramatically alters the answer. When tariffs are described as “a tax on imports,” fewer people support them. When Trump’s “fair trade” rhetoric is included, support jumps. If respondents are told tariffs might raise prices, enthusiasm plummets.
Take this paradox: Even among those who support tariffs, nearly one-third admit they might personally suffer from them. Meanwhile, a significant chunk of Americans don’t know what to think—when given an “unsure” option, more than a quarter choose it.
Pollsters’ power over public opinion
Tariffs aren’t like abortion or gun rights, where opinions remain steady. The public’s stance wobbles based on phrasing, context, and even who’s asking the question. Some polls survey all Americans, others only voters. Online polls get different results than phone surveys. Add Trump’s ever-changing stance on tariffs, and you have a recipe for widespread confusion.