{"id":40802240409,"date":"2019-05-28T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-05-28T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/polling-institute\/?post_type=poll&p=40802240409"},"modified":"2019-06-05T15:44:35","modified_gmt":"2019-06-05T19:44:35","slug":"monmouthpoll_us_052819","status":"publish","type":"poll","link":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/polling-institute\/reports\/monmouthpoll_us_052819\/","title":{"rendered":"American Consumers Expect to Bear Cost of China Tariffs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

West Long Branch, NJ<\/em> \u2013\nA year into President Donald Trump\u2019s policy of imposing extra import duties to\noffset a U.S. trade imbalance, public opinion on the impact of tariffs remains\ndivided, with few seeing an economic benefit. The latest Monmouth University Poll<\/em><\/strong>\nalso finds that a majority expects that American consumers will bear the brunt\nof the latest round of tariffs on Chinese goods and they are not particularly\nhopeful that this policy will bring the manufacture of those goods back to U.S.\nsoil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

National public opinion is divided on\nthe issue of imposing tariffs on products imported from other countries, with\n32% saying they are generally good for the U.S. and 37% saying they are\ngenerally bad. Another 32% are not sure or say it depends. Last summer, a few\nmonths after the Trump tariff policy was launched, slightly more felt tariffs\nwere good for the U.S. (36%) while the same number said they were bad (36%). At\nthe opposite end of the policy spectrum, free trade agreements with other\ncountries continue to be more popular than tariffs, with 51% saying free trade\nis generally good for the U.S. (similar to 52% in June 2018) and just 14%\nsaying these agreements are bad (identical to 14% last year). Another 35% are\nunsure or say it depends. Four years ago when the Trans-Pacific Partnership was\nbeing negotiated, public opinion on free trade agreements was evenly divided\n(24% good and 26% bad), while nearly half (49%) said they were not sure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTrump\u2019s tariff policy has not won any converts over the past year. And now, most Americans say that they will ultimately foot the bill from a widening trade war with China,\u201d said Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most Americans (62%) feel that U.S.\nconsumers will bear the brunt of paying for new tariffs on Chinese goods. Just\n23% say that Chinese producers will bear more of these costs. Likewise, 62%\nbelieve it is very likely that American companies which sell goods or use\nmaterials made in China will simply pass those costs onto domestic consumers.\nAnother 24% say this is somewhat likely to happen and just 8% feel it is not\nlikely. Only 24%, on the other hand, feel it is very likely that U.S. companies\nwill bring the manufacture of these products back to the U.S. as a result of\nthe tariffs, while 35% say this is somewhat likely to happen and 33% say it is\nnot likely. More than 6-in-10 Americans are either very (34%) or somewhat (28%)\nconcerned that their local economy will be hurt from a trade war with China. Just\nover one-third are either not too (19%) or not at all (17%) concerned about\nthis possibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regarding Trump\u2019s policy of imposing\ntariffs on products imported from our trading partners in general, more\nAmericans say this hurts (47%) rather than helps (25%) the U.S. economy. Another\n7% say this has no impact and 21% are unsure. This view is more negative than\npublic opinion last year after the president first introduced his tariff plan.\nLast June, 40% expected the tariffs would hurt the U.S. economy and 25% said\nthey would help, with 7% expecting no impact and 27% being unsure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Concerning the impact of retaliatory\ntariffs on U.S.-made products \u2013 50% say tariffs on U.S. goods imposed by other\ncountries hurt our national economy and just 8% say they help. Another 11% say\nthat tariffs imposed by our trading partners have no impact on the U.S. economy\nand 32% are unsure. Last June, a similar 50% expected that tariffs on U.S.\ngoods imposed by our trading partners would hurt the U.S. economy and 7% said\nthey would help, with 17% expecting no impact and 26% being unsure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The poll finds some stark, but\npredictable, partisan differences of opinion on all these questions. For\nexample, 55% of Democrats and 56% of independents feel that free trade\nagreements are generally good for the U.S. Just 40% of Republicans agree.\nHowever, 52% of Republicans say that tariffs are good for the country, while\nonly 34% of independents and 13% of Democrats feel the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just under half of Republicans (46%)\nsay that Trump\u2019s tariffs help the U.S. economy while few (34%) believe that any\nreciprocal tariffs imposed by our trading partners hurt the country. Most\nDemocrats feel that both policies hurt<\/em> the U.S. (74% for Trump\u2019s\ntariffs and 68% for retaliatory tariffs) and a plurality of independents say\nthe same (45% for Trump\u2019s tariffs and 47% for retaliatory tariffs). Just\n33% of Republicans feel at least some concern that a growing trade war with\nChina will hurt the local economy in their area, while most Democrats (86%) and\nindependents (60%) are concerned about this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While\nmost Democrats (81%) and independents (62%) expect that American consumers will\nbear more of the costs from new tariffs on Chinese goods, Republicans are\ndivided \u2013 40% say U.S consumers will bear more of the costs and 40% say those\ncosts will be borne more by Chinese producers. Republicans (39%) are somewhat\nmore hopeful than independents (22%) and Democrats (15%) that the new tariffs\nare very likely to lead to the return of manufacturing jobs to the U.S. Just\n13% of Republicans rule out this possibility, compared with one-third of\nindependents (34%) and nearly half of Democrats (48%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Monmouth University Poll<\/em>\nwas conducted by telephone from May 16 to 20, 2019 with 802 adults in the\nUnited States. The question results in this release have a margin of error of\n+\/- 3.5 percentage points. The poll was conducted by the Monmouth University\nPolling Institute in West Long Branch, NJ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

QUESTIONS\nAND RESULTS      <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(* Some columns may not add to 100% due to\nrounding.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Q1-19 previously released.<\/em>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[QUESTIONS 20 & 21 WERE ROTATED<\/em>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

20.<\/span> In general, do you think that free trade agreements with other countries are good or bad for the United States, or are you not sure?<\/span><\/p>\n
\n TREND:\n <\/td>\n May
\n 2019<\/strong><\/strong>\n <\/td>		\n June
\n 2018\n <\/td>		\n Nov.
\n 2015\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Good\n <\/td>\n 51%<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 52%\n <\/td>\n 24%\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Bad\n <\/td>\n 14%<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 14%\n <\/td>\n 26%\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Not sure\n <\/td>\n 29%<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 30%\n <\/td>\n 46%\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n (VOL) Depends\n <\/td>\n 6%<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 5%\n <\/td>\n 3%\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n (n)<\/em><\/em>\n <\/td>\n (802)<\/em><\/strong>\n <\/td>\n (806)<\/em>\n <\/td>\n (1,012)<\/em>\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

21.<\/span> In general, do you think that imposing tariffs on products imported from other countries is good or bad for the United States, or are you not sure?<\/span><\/p>\n
\n TREND:\n <\/td>\n May
\n 2019<\/strong>\n <\/td>		\n June
\n 2018\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Good\n <\/td>\n 32%<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 36%\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Bad\n <\/td>\n 37%<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 36%\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Not sure\n <\/td>\n 23%<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 23%\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n (VOL) Depends\n <\/td>\n 9%<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 6%\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n (n)<\/em><\/em>\n <\/td>\n (802)<\/em><\/strong>\n <\/td>\n (806)<\/em>\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

22.<\/span> Do you think Pres. Trump\u2019s decision to impose tariffs on a range of products imported from our trading partners helps or hurts the U.S. economy, does it have no impact either way, or are you not sure? <\/span><\/p>\n
\n TREND:\n <\/td>\n May
\n 2019<\/strong>\n <\/td>		\n Aug.
\n 2018*\n <\/td>		\n June
\n 2018*\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Helps\n <\/td>\n 25%<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 28%\n <\/td>\n 25%\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Hurts\n <\/td>\n 47%<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 38%\n <\/td>\n 40%\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n No impact\n <\/td>\n 7%<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 4%\n <\/td>\n 7%\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Not sure\n <\/td>\n 21%<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 29%\n <\/td>\n 27%\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n (n)<\/em><\/em>\n <\/td>\n (802)<\/em><\/strong>\n <\/td>\n (805)<\/em>\n <\/td>\n (806)<\/em>\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n

[*Question wording in 2018 asked whether tariffs \u201cwill help or hurt the U.S. economy.\u201d]<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

23.<\/span> Do you think our trading partners\u2019 decision to impose their own tariffs on American-made products helps or hurts the U.S. economy, does it have no impact either way, or are you not sure? <\/span><\/p>\n
\n TREND:\n <\/td>\n May
\n 2019<\/strong>\n <\/td>		\n June
\n 2018*\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Helps\n <\/td>\n 8%<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 7%\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Hurts\n <\/td>\n 50%<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 50%\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n No impact\n <\/td>\n 11%<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 17%\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Not sure\n <\/td>\n 32%<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 26%\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n (n)<\/em><\/em>\n <\/td>\n (802)<\/em><\/strong>\n <\/td>\n (806)<\/em>\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n

[*Question wording in 2018 asked whether tariffs \u201cwill help or hurt the U.S. economy.\u201d]<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

24.<\/span> Turning specifically to China, if the U.S. gets into a trade war with China, how concerned are you that this would hurt the local economy in your area \u2013 very concerned, somewhat concerned, not too concerned, or not at all concerned?<\/span><\/p>\n
\n  \n <\/td>\n May
\n 2019<\/strong>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Very concerned\n <\/td>\n 34%<\/strong>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Somewhat concerned\n <\/td>\n 28%<\/strong>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Not too concerned\n <\/td>\n 19%<\/strong>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Not at all concerned\n <\/td>\n 17%<\/strong>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n (VOL) Don\u2019t know\n <\/td>\n 2%<\/strong>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n (n)<\/em><\/em>\n <\/td>\n (802)<\/em><\/strong>\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

25.<\/span> Who do you think will bear more of the costs of these tariffs on Chinese goods \u2013 the producers in China or American consumers?<\/span><\/p>\n
\n  \n <\/td>\n May
\n 2019<\/strong>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Chinese producers\n <\/td>\n 23%<\/strong>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n American consumers\n <\/td>\n 62%<\/strong>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n (VOL) Both equally\n <\/td>\n 8%<\/strong>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n (VOL) Don\u2019t know\n <\/td>\n 8%<\/strong>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n (n)<\/em><\/em>\n <\/td>\n (802)<\/em><\/strong>\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

[QUESTIONS 26 & 27 WERE ROTATED<\/em>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

26.<\/span> As a result of these tariffs, is it very likely, somewhat likely, or not likely that American companies which sell Chinese goods or use Chinese materials in their products will just pass the higher cost onto U.S. consumers?<\/span><\/p>\n
\n  \n <\/td>\n May
\n 2019<\/strong>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Very likely\n <\/td>\n 62%<\/strong>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Somewhat likely\n <\/td>\n 24%<\/strong>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Not likely\n <\/td>\n 8%<\/strong>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n (VOL) Don\u2019t know\n <\/td>\n 6%<\/strong>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n (n)<\/em><\/em>\n <\/td>\n (802)<\/em><\/strong>\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

27.<\/span> As a result of these tariffs, is it very likely, somewhat likely, or not likely that American companies which sell Chinese goods or use Chinese materials in their products will bring back the manufacture of these products to the United States?<\/span><\/p>\n
\n  \n <\/td>\n May
\n 2019<\/strong>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Very likely\n <\/td>\n 24%<\/strong>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Somewhat likely\n <\/td>\n 35%<\/strong>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Not likely\n <\/td>\n 33%<\/strong>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n (VOL) Don\u2019t know\n <\/td>\n 9%<\/strong>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n (n)<\/em><\/em>\n <\/td>\n (802)<\/em><\/strong>\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

[Q28-33 held for future release.<\/em>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

METHODOLOGY<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Monmouth\nUniversity Poll<\/em> was sponsored and conducted by the Monmouth University\nPolling Institute from May 16 to 20, 2019 with a national random sample of 802\nadults age 18 and older, in English. This includes 322 contacted by a live\ninterviewer on a landline telephone and 480 contacted by a live interviewer on\na cell phone. Telephone numbers were selected through random digit dialing\nand landline respondents were selected with a modified Troldahl-Carter youngest\nadult household screen. Monmouth is responsible for all aspects of the survey\ndesign, data weighting and analysis. Final sample is weighted for region, age,\neducation, gender and race based on US Census information. Data collection\nsupport provided by Braun Research (field) and Dynata (RDD sample). For\nresults based on this sample, one can say with 95% confidence that the error\nattributable to sampling has a maximum margin of plus or minus 3.5 percentage\npoints (unadjusted for sample design). Sampling error can be larger for\nsub-groups (see table below). In addition to sampling error, one should\nbear in mind that question wording and practical difficulties in conducting\nsurveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of opinion polls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n DEMOGRAPHICS (weighted)<\/em>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Self-Reported<\/em>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n 25%\n Republican<\/em>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n 44% Independent<\/em>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n 31% Democrat<\/em>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n  <\/em>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n 48% Male<\/em>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n 52% Female<\/em>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n  <\/em>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n 31% 18-34<\/em>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n 33% 35-54<\/em>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n 36% 55+<\/em>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n  <\/em>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n 64% White<\/em>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n 12% Black<\/em>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n 16%\n Hispanic<\/em>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n   8% Asian\/Other<\/em>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n  <\/em>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n 69% No\n degree<\/em>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n 31% 4 year\n degree<\/em>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n  <\/em> <\/em>\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n

Click on pdf file link below for full methodology and crosstabs by key demographic groups.<\/strong> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Nearly half say Trump policy hurts U.S. economy <\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":40802240412,"template":"","geography":[18],"class_list":["post-40802240409","poll","type-poll","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","geography-national"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/polling-institute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/poll\/40802240409","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/polling-institute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/poll"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/polling-institute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/poll"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/polling-institute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/poll\/40802240409\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40802241261,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/polling-institute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/poll\/40802240409\/revisions\/40802241261"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/polling-institute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/40802240412"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/polling-institute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40802240409"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"geography","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/polling-institute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/geography?post=40802240409"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}