Among these Republicans, support for Trump’s tariffs is unmatched

By Brett Rowland
The Center Square

One group of Americans strongly supports President Donald Trump’s use of tariffs: attendees of the annual Conservative Political Action Conference.

As the 2026 election approaches, tariffs have become a controversial issue, with many Republican voters rallying behind them even as most Americans remain doubtful. The divide could play a role in how Americans decide the midterm elections.

The CPAC conference is often viewed as an early indicator of Republican sentiment. Although Trump did not attend this year’s late-March gathering, he followed the proceedings and shared the results of several CPAC straw poll questions, including one on tariffs, on social media.

A survey conducted by McLaughlin & Associates asked CPAC attendees if they supported Trump’s “use of tariffs to reduce America’s trade deficit and create a more level playing field for American workers and businesses.”

Overall, 91% of respondents said they supported Trump’s tariffs, with 69.1% strongly in favor and 21.9% somewhat supportive. Seven percent disapproved, including 2.9% who strongly disapproved. A total of 1,630 CPAC attendees participated in the survey.

These numbers show far greater support for Trump’s import tax policy among CPAC attendees compared to the broader public. For example, a January Pew Research Center poll found that 60% of Americans disapproved of Trump’s import tax hikes, while 37% approved and 13% strongly approved. Support was higher among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents (71%), with 28% disapproving.

The Center Square’s Voters’ Voice Poll, conducted in early March, showed that most voters believe they bear at least some of the costs from Trump’s tariffs. About 42% said American consumers primarily pay, while 38% felt the burden is shared among all parties involved in trade. Only 12% thought foreign countries pay, and just 8% believed American businesses absorb the costs.

Republicans were less likely than other voters to say consumers bear the costs: 27% said consumers pay, 21% said foreign nations pay, 9% said American businesses pay, and 43% said all parties share the higher costs.

A March Harris Poll conducted for the Guardian found that 64% of Republicans believed Trump’s tariffs contributed to rising prices, compared to 77% of Democrats and 67% of independents.

In April 2025, Trump unilaterally imposed the highest tariffs in nearly a century. Tariffs are taxes on imported goods paid by importers to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

In February, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Trump exceeded his authority by using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose tariffs worldwide. The court did not decide the fate of $166 billion in import taxes already collected, leaving the U.S. Court of International Trade to oversee ongoing litigation over refunds.

At the same time, the states and small businesses that challenged Trump’s IEEPA tariffs have also challenged Trump’s latest 10% global entry tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. That challenge remains pending before the Court of International Trade.

Trump has defended the tariffs, saying the revenue could fund increased military spending and other goals, including a tariff refund check for some Americans. Experts have questioned whether tariffs will raise enough money to cover these costly spending plans.

Trump has also said the tariffs will help bring back manufacturing jobs lost to low-wage countries over the past few decades.

Multiple economic studies have found that U.S. businesses and consumers are bearing the brunt of Trump’s tariffs. A Federal Reserve Bank of New York report, the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, and a December 2025 Duke University study all concluded that Americans are paying nearly the entire cost of tariffs, not foreign nations, as the White House has said.

The Yale Budget Lab previously estimated Section 122 tariffs could cost the average U.S. household $600 to $800 annually.