71 percent of Americans say US is “out of control” under Trump

More than seven in 10 Americans think the United States is “out of control” under President Donald Trump, according to a new national poll of adult citizens. 

Newsweek contacted the White House for comment via email outside regular working hours. 

Why It Matters

Americans’ perceptions of how the country is being run are likely to prove decisive in how they vote in November’s midterm elections. 

These findings reflect unease with Trump’s approach, chiming with other recent national surveys in which majorities said he had gone too far with military interventions abroad and voters expressing a preference for restraint and congressional checks on the use of force. 

What To Know

The United States is out of control, according to 71 percent of those polled in a new national Economist/YouGov survey. Just 18 percent of respondents said the country was “under control,” while 11 percent said they were not sure. 

The data showed that the out-of-control sentiment cut across most demographic groups: 70 percent of white respondents, 79 percent of Black respondents and 70 percent of Hispanic respondents said things were out of control, while 70 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds and 74 percent of those 65 and older agreed.

The poll, conducted January 16 to 19 among 1,722 U.S. adult citizens via web-based interviews, was weighted to national benchmarks and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.

Even among Republicans, the numbers were not positive for Trump, with 50 percent saying the country was out of control, 38 percent saying it was under control and 13 percent saying they were not sure. 

Responses overall diverged by 2024 vote and party: 91 percent of former Vice President Kamala Harris voters described the country as out of control compared to 50 percent of Trump voters, and 94 percent of liberals said it was out of control versus 71 percent of moderates and 71 percent of conservatives, based on the poll’s detailed crosstabs.

The lopsided result dovetailed with separate polling from AP-NORC conducted January 8 to 11, using the probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel of 1,203 adults with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points. The survey found that 56 percent said Trump had “gone too far” in deploying U.S. forces to intervene abroad. 

This survey’s findings, which followed the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, also reflected broader disapproval of Trump’s foreign policy: 57 percent of respondents expressed disapproval of his handling of Venezuela. 

There was a partisan split, with 71 percent of Republicans saying his actions were “about right.”

AP-NORC’s methodology relied on a nationally representative, probability-based panel with panel-based recruitment and standard weighting. 

In a separate Quinnipiac survey conducted from January 8 to 12, 70 percent of respondents said presidents should obtain congressional approval before taking military action against another country.

This national poll of 1,133 registered voters, which also found broad resistance to potential operations in Iran, Mexico and Colombia without consent, was conducted by live interviewers via random digit dialing to landlines and cellphones. It had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 points, including design effect. 

Taken together, the data from these polls paint a picture of widespread unease at home and caution abroad. 

According to these figures, Americans across demographic lines largely feel the country is not on a steady course, while majorities favor limits and oversight on military force, suggesting a public appetite for stability and deliberation rather than escalation.

What People Are Saying

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told Newsweek last week: “President Trump took office with a resounding mandate from the nearly 80 million Americans who voted for him to secure our border, end Joe Biden’s inflation crisis, remove criminal illegal aliens from our streets, and restore American Greatness both at home and abroad.

“He has firmly cemented his legacy as the Peace President, having ended eight wars and counting and saving millions of lives. He is delivering on his promises, and the American people remain firmly aligned with the President’s agenda to Make America Great Again, regardless of the Mainstream Media’s so-called polling.”

Tim Malloy, a polling analyst with Quinnipiac University, said in a statement: “Talk of the U.S. military potentially intervening in Iran’s internal chaos gets a vigorous thumbs down, while voters signal Congressional approval should be a backstop against military involvement in any foreign crisis.”

What Happens Next

Polling on how Americans feel about the way the country is being run can shape the midterms by signaling voter frustration or confidence, giving parties a clear sense of which issues are driving turnout and which candidates are most vulnerable.

The polling comes as Congress weighs measures to limit presidential war powers, positioning legislative oversight as a live question while public opinion shows a preference for restraint and procedural checks on the use of force.

In a polarized era, the center is dismissed as bland. At Newsweek, ours is different: The Courageous Center—it’s not “both sides,” it’s sharp, challenging and alive with ideas. We follow facts, not factions. If that sounds like the kind of journalism you want to see thrive, we need you.

When you become a Newsweek Member, you support a mission to keep the center strong and vibrant. Members enjoy: Ad-free browsing, exclusive content and editor conversations. Help keep the center courageous. Join today.