Utahns weigh in on Trump's job performance and key issues six months in

Yahoo

2 days ago

The first six months of President Donald Trump's second term brought a whirlwind of executive orders, trade deals, and significant policy changes.
While he celebrated the recent passage of his major legislative tax package, dubbed the 'big, beautiful bill,' the president has also had a tumultuous month dealing with the fallout over his administration's decision not to release files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Meanwhile, Trump continues to travel and meet with foreign leaders to discuss new trade agreements as they look to avoid the president's tariffs. Trump and his envoys have also actively engaged in trying to end foreign conflicts with varying degrees of success, including the Russia-Ukraine war and ongoing conflicts in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas, and Israel and Iran.
In the latest Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll conducted by HarrisX, Utahns were asked if they approve or disapprove of Trump's job performance so far.
While a majority of the state's voters approve of the president's performance so far, they had a more mixed reaction to his policies.
Among the 802 Utah voters surveyed, 54% said they strongly or somewhat approve of the job Trump is doing in the White House, which is down slightly from his 56% job approval in May.
Voters were also asked to weigh in on Vice President JD Vance's job performance, with 50% of Utah voters saying they approve of his work so far in the administration, compared to 33% who disapprove and 17% who said they were unsure.
Utahns weigh in on Trump's policies
In the latest survey, Utah voters were also asked how well they think Trump is doing on key issues and campaign promises.
Generally, Utahns approve of Trump's actions on most issues. He did best among voters in the state on his approach to immigration and reducing the cost of government. Trump earned a 56% approval rating from Utahns on both issues.
But on these issues, as with most others, there was a deep partisan split in Trump's job approval. On immigration, 77% of Utah Republicans said they approve of the job Trump is doing, while only 15% of Utah Democrats said the same.
On reducing the cost of government, 77% of Republicans approve of the job Trump is doing, compared to 14% of Democrats.
On both issues, 42% of independents said they like the job Trump is doing, while disapproval on immigration and cost cutting hovered around 50%.
Jason Perry, the director of the University of Utah's Hinckley Institute of Politics, said Trump continues to receive 'solid support' from voters in Utah.
'Utahns are well acquainted with him, his style, and his policies, and that familiarity seems to be creating a consistent level of support. That approval appears to be driven by a sense that Trump is focused on the issues many Utah voters care about most, especially immigration and the economy,' Perry said. 'When voters feel that kind of alignment, it can outweigh other concerns and lead to a consistent level of approval.'
Voters in the state continue to rank Trump favorably on foreign affairs issues. Overall, he earns a 52% approval rating for handling foreign affairs. On the Israel-Iran conflict, voters in Utah gave the president a 54% approval rating.
While Trump is largely viewed in a positive light by voters in the state, there are some issues where Utahns are split.
On the campaign trail and since being back in office, Trump has blamed inflation on former President Joe Biden and sought to bring down costs on everyday goods — even as economists say his tariffs could hike prices.
According to the survey, 49% of Utah voters approve of Trump's work to tackle inflation, with 45% expressing disapproval.
Perry said inflation was a major issue for voters in the lead up to the 2024 election and has remained 'top of mind.' In Utah, Trump receives 'mixed reviews' from voters on the issue, he said.
Another major marker of Trump's time back in office has been his expansive tariff agenda. The president added major tariffs on about 90 countries on what he dubbed 'Liberation Day' in early April, shaking up global markets and forcing global leaders to come to the table to try to strike trade deals.
While Trump has remained confident in his tariff plan, Utahns are evenly split on how they feel about the issue. The survey found that 47% of voters approved of Trump's actions on tariffs, while 47% disapproved and 6% were not sure.
Perry noted that voters are even more divided on Trump's approach to tariffs and trade than on inflation.
'Voters may support the broader message, but many are not seeing the changes they hoped for in their grocery bills or other expenses,' Perry said. 'These are personal, pocketbook issues, and they hit close to home.'
'They are also harder to explain away with talking points which is why, regardless of party, this is where Trump earned his lowest marks from Utah voters,' he added.
Other trends
Trump is still popular among Republicans in Utah, with 76% saying they approve of the job he is doing six months into his second term.
Democrats in the state remain strongly opposed to Trump and his policies, with 88% disapproving of the president's performance. Independent voters in Utah also largely disapprove of Trump's job in the Oval Office, with 61% expressing disapproval and just 35% who say the president has done a good job.
Similar to previous surveys, Trump is favored more by men (57%) than women (48%), and slightly more by white voters (53%) than Hispanic voters (50%). Among Latter-day Saint voters, Trump had a 60% job approval rating.
The age demographic with the highest number of voters who approve of the job the president is doing is 35-49 year olds (57%), while Utahns over 65 were least likely to approve (48%).