A larger percentage (43%) of American adults “strongly” or “somewhat” support U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order calling for the deportation of international students accused of Jew-hatred, particularly anti-Israel protests since Oct. 7, according to a new Economist and YouGov poll.
Some 35% of respondents “strongly” or “somewhat” opposed the executive order, and 21% didn’t have an opinion. Republicans were much likelier (71%) than Democrats (20%) to at least somewhat support deporting antisemitic international students.
The poll, conducted between Feb. 2-4, included 1,604 American adults.
The same percentage (40%) of respondents at least somewhat agree and at least somewhat disagree with parents being allowed to use public school funds to pay for private or religious schooling, per the poll. Republicans were much likelier (67%) than Democrats (19%) to at least somewhat support such a school choice program.
The poll also took stock more broadly of reactions to Trump’s policies during his first weeks in office.
More Americans at least “somewhat” approve (46%) than at least “somewhat” disapprove (44%) of Trump’s overall job performance with Republicans approving at a rate of 90%, compared to 38% of independents and 10% of Democrats.
At this point in Trump’s first term, his overall approval rating was two percentage points lower—44%.
According to the poll, more Americans (36%) say the country is headed in the right direction “than at any time since the early days of Joe Biden’s presidency.”
