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19 May 2025 13:35
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  •   Home > News > International

    Donald Trump dismisses 'fake' falls in approval rating as Americans voice tariff fears

    Donald Trump has used a campaign-style public rally to rage against "fake polls" that show his approval ratings falling as he chalks up 100 days back in office.


    Donald Trump has used a campaign-style public rally to rage against "fake polls" that show his approval ratings falling as he chalks up 100 days back in office.

    A slew of polls to mark the milestone show a significant drop in Mr Trump's approval ratings, in some cases to record lows for this point in the presidency.

    The New York Times polling average — based on surveys by dozens of US pollsters — shows an 8 per cent drop in Mr Trump's approval rating since inauguration, from 52 per cent to 44 per cent.

    His average disapproval rating meanwhile increased from 43 per cent to 53 per cent.

    "If it were a legit poll, it would be in the 60s or 70s," Mr Trump told the packed rally just outside Detroit, Michigan.

    "These people are a bunch of crooked people. They interview more Democrats than Republicans."

    In a wide-ranging 90-minute speech, Mr Trump celebrated a sharp reduction in unauthorised migration, which he said meant more jobs for "native-born" Americans, and criticised "communist" judges who had challenged parts of his mass deportation program.

    "Judges are trying to take away the power given to the president to keep our country safe, and it's not a good thing," he said.

    He won applause when he insisted his controversial tariffs regime would bring manufacturing back to Michigan, long known as the car-making hub of the US.

    Earlier, Mr Trump signed an order to give partial tariff rebates to car manufacturers that assembled their vehicles in the US.

    Recent polls have consistently shown more public opposition than support for Mr Trump's tariffs. In a CNN/SSRS poll released on Monday, 55 per cent of respondents said the tariffs were bad policy, and 28 per cent called them good policy.

    The poll found Mr Trump's approval rating on economic issues had fallen to a career low of 39 per cent. Only about half of voters expressed confidence in his ability to deal with the economy — the issue many voters cited as their reason for electing him in November.

    'I love how radical he is'

    Away from the adoring fans at his rally, some Michigan residents expressed concerns about the tariffs, though there was also optimism they would eventually bring benefits.

    Auto-worker Brian Clark said the tariffs on imported cars and parts had led to lay-offs at the factory where he was employed.

    "We were working 40 hours. Sometimes you might get 50 hours. But all of that changed the last two or three months," he told the ABC at a bar in Detroit.

    "They laid off one entire shift, and now we're down to just one shift [and] a skeleton crew right now. So we're just doing basically the minimum."

    After 31 years in the industry, Mr Clark is preparing to retire. He's been anxiously watching market volatility affect his retirement savings since Mr Trump announced his sweeping tariff policy.

    But he was still hopeful the tariffs would bring jobs back to Detroit in the long term.

    "That's what we were told, maybe somewhere toward the end of the year we might get another product to come back," he said.

    "And, you know, that's promising for us."

    Bartender Amanda Pasho, who voted for Mr Trump, is "extremely happy with him being in office".

    "I love how radical he is, because it's radical in a good way," Ms Pasho said.

    She's seen the impact of lay-offs at the factory near the sports bar where she works, but believes it's in a "transition phase".

    "We're waiting for the contracts to come in and for the jobs to come back," she said.

    At a dive bar across town, Detroit local Roger Paz was scathing about the president's first few months in office.

    "He's just been dismantling every institution of democracy like a wrecking crew," he said.

    "The neighbourhood I live in is predominantly Mexican, so now there's ICE raids, people getting deported, detained, disappeared, so everyone's looking over their shoulders.

    "That fear has been injected in this first 100 days. He's tanked the economy, the global economy. He's had all our allies turn against us.

    "It's been very worrisome. I think he's brought a lot of people together, though … against him."

    When asked what three words he'd use to sum up the first 100 days, Mr Paz hesitates before answering.

    "Non-stop nightmare."


    ABC




    © 2025 ABC Australian Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved

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