New poll: North Carolinians don't support major cuts to federal agencies targeted by Trump, Musk
North Carolinians gathered in early March at the State Capitol to voice their disapproval of the Trump administration's dismantling of federal departments and the indiscriminate termination of government workers. (Photo: Clayton Henkel/NC Newsline)
A new poll by Elon University finds that North Carolinians do not support the major cutbacks at 14 federal agencies targeted by the Trump administration and led by Elon Musk's so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Rather respondents voiced support for only minor reductions or no changes at all.
For the U.S. Department of Education, one third (33%) of those surveyed said they favored increased funding, compared with 25% who favor elimination or major reductions at the department. Asked about the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 35% of those polled said they would support more funding for the agency compared with only 10% who favor major reductions.
The poll of 800 North Carolinians also found little support for major reductions or the elimination of NOAA (National Weather Service), the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Defense Department, Department of Justice, Centers for Disease Control, Department of the Interior, National Institutes of Health and the FBI.
'Though polls have found for decades that the public is skeptical about the overall federal bureaucracy, we are not finding unified support for budget cuts when it comes to specific parts of the bureaucracy,' said Elon University poll director Jason Husser in a release. 'For functions like Veteran Affairs, we are finding a large majority of people in the key swing state of North Carolina wanting to see funding maintained or increased. Society is experiencing the disconnect between a desire to see less federal spending in the abstract and the reality that many of the agencies and departments are engaged in work that is broadly popular.'
While Republicans generally viewed these cuts more favorably than Democrats, 44% of those questioned in the latest Elon University Poll believe the reduction in federal spending and federal employees and the elimination of research grants will have a very or somewhat negative impact in North Carolina. That compares with 34% who expect the loss of federal resources to have a positive impact.
Proposed funding cuts by the Trump administration would in fact have a significant financial impact on North Carolina's universities and research centers.
Society is experiencing the disconnect between a desire to see less federal spending in the abstract and the reality that many of the agencies and departments are engaged in work that is broadly popular.'
– Elon University Poll director Jason Husser
The poll also offers some insight into whether North Carolinians believe the motives claimed by Musk and the DOGE team for their actions.
More than half (51%) expressed a general distrust that Musk is working in the best interests of the public in promoting government efficiency. Forty percent voiced support for Musk's DOGE team.
On a separate question, one-half (50%) of North Carolinians said they supported Attorney General Jeff Jackson's decision to join attorneys general from 18 other states in filing a lawsuit to stop DOGE from accessing U.S. Treasury Department records that contain personal information on millions of Americans.
In February, Jackson joined lawsuits against the federal government over the potential exposure of North Carolinians' personal information to Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency.
'The court recognized this federal overreach for what it is – a violation of federal law and a threat to people's privacy and security,' said Jackson in winning a temporary restraining order.
Republicans in the North Carolina General Assembly have been working this session to further block Jackson from challenging President Donald Trump's executive orders.
On Monday, a federal judge blocked Musk's team from accessing data at the Education Department, the Treasury Department and at the Office of Personnel Management.
Read more from the latest Elon University poll.
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