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Understanding public perceptions of the Trump administration’s cuts to the federal government 

Since taking office in January, President Donald Trump has moved quickly to cut government programs, cancel contracts and grants and reduce the federal workforce by tens of thousands of employees. During this unique moment, the Partnership for Public Service sought to understand how Americans view the president’s actions by conducting a nationally representative survey and a series of focus groups. Senior researcher Paul Hitlin provided insights into the findings in a recent webinar. Below are some key takeaways. 

Cuts to the federal government and workforce are largely unpopular 

More Americans disapprove of the Trump administration’s cuts to federal government’s programs, services and its workforce than approve. Forty-nine percent of those surveyed said they oppose the changes to the federal government compared with 39% who support them. Additionally, 50% of those surveyed said that layoffs and reduced services will make their community worse, compared with only 28% who said they would make their community better.

Opinions are heavily polarized by party affiliation 

While 77% of Republicans supported the cuts to the federal government, 88% of Democrats opposed them. Among independents, 42% were opposed and 21% expressed support for the administration’s actions. These findings match research showing that trust in government is often higher among supporters of the president’s party. 

Supporters of the cuts believed these efforts will reign in government spending and deliver savings for American taxpayers. Many trusted the administration to find the right balance of savings, even as some acknowledged cuts may bring confusion or disruption in the short term.

Both supporters and opponents of reductions believe in the importance of a nonpartisan and expert civil service  

The majority of Americans believe in the importance of an expert, nonpartisan civil service. Eighty-three percent of those who support the reductions and 77% of those who oppose them agreed an expert and nonpolitical federal workforce is “critical to our country’s wellbeing.”

Many Americans know someone impacted by cuts to the federal government 

Thirty-five percent of Americans said they, or someone they know, has been personally impacted by the federal worker layoffs and the reduction in funding for programs and services. This suggests that people around the country are seeing the effect of the administration’s policies in their own communities.

Americans are especially concerned about the impact on social services 

More than any other issue, Americans are worried about the impact of the cuts on the delivery of social services. More than half selected “delivery of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits” as one of their top three concerns, twice as many as the next-highest subjects chosen, “disease research and prevention” and “food safety,” both at 26%.  

Understanding how the public feels about government during a time of major upheaval is key to communicating effectively about the impact of the Trump administration’s policies.  

Acknowledging people’s doubts and distrust of government can be helpful. Additionally, talking about the practical impact of government policies and sharing personal stories of civil servants and their work may help the public understand how arbitrary cutbacks can negatively impact the way the government serves the American people.

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