A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted on September 11, 2025, noted increasing concerns among Americans over President Donald Trump’s widening of executive powers. From sending National Guard troops in the cities of U.S. to a try at control over parts of the economy, these are measures by Trump which have sparked debates about how far presidential authority can go. According to this new poll, there is a strong public preference for checks and balances with major differences across political parties. This article Crackdown the findings of that poll, Trump’s controversial moves and their implications in simple English.
The public soundly rejects Donald Trump’s novel theories about vast presidential power.
Indeed, most people want restraints on presidential authority. Nine in ten Democrats and seven in ten Republicans say a president should obey the rulings of federal courts, even if he disagrees with them.
Just 16% of Americans favor granting the president authority over interest rates or where companies make their products. That breaks down to a mere 2% of Democrats but 34% of Republicans.
Most voters do not see issues like crime or the economy as urgent enough to justify Trump’s bold moves, according to political scientist David Hopkins from Boston College.
In the poll, only 29% of Americans said that “America is the greatest country in the world,” a significant drop from 38% in the 2017 poll during Trump’s first term. Support among Democrats fell more than half, from 26% to 12%. Among Republicans, support dipped slightly from 59% to 55%.
Trump recently took over the police in Washington, D.C., and brought National Guard soldiers into the city saying that crime is “out of control,” has been talking about sending troops to places like Chicago and New Orleans. Only 32% of Americans say they would feel safer with military patrols in big cities.
Trump pressed for a 10% equity share in Intel, the chipmaker, by the government and also asked for a cut from Nvidia’s profits it makes in China. He has sought to press the Federal Reserve for rate cuts and also tried to sack a board member on unsubstantiated claims of mortgage fraud.
Trump imposed tariffs on several countries, calling trade imbalances a national emergency, thus opening the door to legal challenges. He has bullied U.S. companies such as Apple to increase their operations in the U.S., or else face consequences.
Public Reaction to Crime and Safety
Limited Fear of Crime
- Just 20 percent of Americans feel unsafe because there is high crime in their area, and only a third avoid big cities due to fear of crime, according to the poll.
- Half of Republicans avoid large cities due to safety concerns, compared to far fewer Democrats and independents. That puts them in the minority who believe that crime is a personal concern for them.
Mixed Support for Military Presence
- 62% of Republicans support military patrols in cities. Just 25% of independents do, and a tiny 10% of Democrats join them. That’s a partisan split.
- Democratic strategist Jesse Ferguson argued that Trump’s use of military power is seen as an overreach that could worsen, not solve, safety issues.
Political Divide on Presidential Power
Republican Support for Trump
- Trump’s approval rating remains steady at 42%, with nine out of 10 Republicans backing him, according to the poll.
- However, even among Republicans, there’s caution: 45% oppose giving up checks and balances for faster government action, while 39% support it.
Democrats and Independents Oppose Power Grab
- Eighty-three percent of Democrats and eighty-three percent of independents do not want checks and balances reduced, so the government does not make decisions more quickly.
- This is solid proof of preference across political lines for maintaining democratic safeguards—like court oversight—to limit presidential power.
Why This Matters
Concerns About Democracy
- The poll indicates that Americans are concerned about Trump’s efforts to consolidate power, viewing it as a potential pathway to undermine democratic institutions—whether the judiciary or Congress.
- Hopkins said that even though some of Trump’s voters were willing to vest him with such broad authority, most Republicans who voted for him want limits on his power.
Effect on Subsequent Policy
- Any efforts by Trump to send in soldiers or enforce tariffs may encounter challenges if the public remains skeptical, thereby influencing his government’s policy.
- Such results of the poll may inspire lawmakers to undertake more active resistance to executive overreach while various legal challenges against Trump’s tariffs and other measures are still pending in courts.
Poll Details
The Reuters/Ipsos poll was conducted online on September 8-10, 2025, with 1,084 responses from adults in the U.S. The overall margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points and between 5 and 6 points for Republicans, Democrats, and independents.
Conclusion
The Reuters/Ipsos poll shows that most Americans are uncomfortable with President Trump’s moves to broaden his powers — from sending soldiers into cities to controlling segments of the economy. Even though Republicans express greater support for Trump’s initiatives, there is still a solid majority across party lines who want constraints on the president and respect for democratic checks. With President Trump’s approval rating stuck at 42 percent, how he pursues what they regard as a justified constraint will inform confidence in him and policy choices during a potential second term. That question has led, this poll indicates, to an increasingly divided nation.
