Number of Americans Viewing Trump as ‘Dangerous Dictator’ Surges—Poll – Newsweek
Published
Jun 17, 2026 at 03:11 PM EDT
Politics and Culture Reporter
A majority of Americans view President Donald Trump as a “dangerous dictator” whose power should be constrained, according to a poll that found a notable increase in that sentiment since March.
Davis Ingle, a White House spokesperson, told Newsweek in an email responding to the poll, “The ultimate poll was November 5th 2024 when nearly 80 million Americans overwhelmingly elected President Trump to deliver on his popular and commonsense agenda.”
The statement continued, “No other President in history has accomplished more for the American people than President Trump, who is working tirelessly to create jobs, cool inflation, increase housing affordability, and more. The President has already made historic progress not only in America but around the world, and this is just the beginning as his agenda continues taking effect.”
A new Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) poll of 5,469 adults living across all 50 states found that 59 percent believe that Trump “is a dangerous dictator whose power should be limited before he destroys American democracy.”
Support for that view has increased since March, when 52 percent of Americans agreed with the statement. It also exceeds the 56 percent recorded in September 2025, when a majority of respondents similarly described Trump as a “dangerous dictator,” according to PRRI.
The poll, which was conducted between May 1 and 18, has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.53 percentage points. While the poll was being conducted, headlines around the Trump administration included foreign policy and the war with Iran, trade and tariff escalations with Europe, and gas prices rising due to troubles in the Strait of Hormuz.
Now, the poll’s release comes as the Trump administration is nearing a peace deal to end the over 100-day war with Iran, which began after U.S. and Israeli strikes in late February. The military action prompted criticism from lawmakers in both parties, including some Republicans, who argued that the president lacked the authority to do so without congressional approval.
Earlier this month, the House passed a war powers resolution aimed at curbing Trump’s military action in Iran, approving the measure 215-208. The vote, which saw four Republicans—Warren Davidson of Ohio, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Tom Barrett of Michigan and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania—join Democrats, marks the first time the chamber has moved to force an end to the conflict without congressional authorization.
Under the War Powers Resolution, the administration has 60 days to seek congressional authorization for military action. Officials have argued that the clock does not apply in this case, citing a ceasefire with Iran as evidence that active hostilities have ended.
The White House official at the time told Newsweek that the House resolution “will not” reach the president’s desk and, as a concurrent resolution, would carry no legal force even if approved by the Senate.
The Senate tried for the ninth time to pass a war powers resolution earlier this week. The matter failed in a 47-48 vote, with four Republicans joining most Democrats in support.
The poll found that 38 percent of participants agree “Trump is a strong leader who should be given the power he needs to restore America’s greatness.” The majority of Republicans agree with that statement, but less than in March, 78 percent to 81 percent, respectively.
About two-thirds of Americans, 66 percent, hold an unfavorable view of Trump’s handling of the war with Iran, according to the poll. A majority, 51 percent, hold a very unfavorable view, while 15 percent hold a “somewhat unfavorable” view.
Twenty-nine percent have favorable views of the president’s handling. Broken down further, 87 percent of Democrats hold a “very unfavorable” view of Trump’s handling of the war, while support is strongest among Republicans, with 67 percent favoring his approach, compared with 21 percent of independents and 4 percent of Democrats.
An ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll of 2,560 people found that 61 percent of Americans believe it was a mistake for Trump to start the Iran war.
Republicans largely back Trump’s decision, with 79 percent supporting it; however, support drops among “non-MAGA Republicans,” with 50 percent believing it was the right decision, while 86 percent of MAGA Republicans do.
Democrats overwhelmingly oppose it, with 91 percent saying it was a mistake. Seventy-one percent of independents do as well. The poll was conducted between April 24 and 28, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.
An April Reuters/Ipsos poll of 1,269 adults found that 34 percent of participants approve of Trump’s military strikes against Iran, while 51 percent do not. The poll was conducted April 24-27 with a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
A similar Reuters/Ipsos poll in March found that 38 percent of Americans backed the strikes, showing a dip in recent polling.
Trump has pledged a sweeping immigration crackdown and said during his campaign that his administration would aim to deport as many as 1 million people a year, part of a broader platform centered on mass removals and expanded enforcement.
The poll found that just over one-third of Americans, 37 percent, have favorable views of Trump’s handling of immigration, while 58 percent hold unfavorable views.
Support for Trump’s handling of immigration fell across party lines. Among Republicans, favorable views slipped from 90 percent in March to 82 percent in May. Among independents, support dropped from 48 percent to 31 percent, while among Democrats it fell from 13 percent to 6 percent.
The Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll, conducted May 29-31, 2026, surveyed 1,725 registered voters nationwide and found that Trump’s handling of immigration has a 49 percent approval rating and 51 percent disapproval. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.4 percentage points.
A Marquette Law School poll of 1,001 adults conducted May 20-26 found 44 percent approving of Trump’s handling of immigration and 56 percent disapproving. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points.
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