Deep Disapproval: Majority Of Indian Americans Oppose Trump And His Policies

India-West News Desk

WASHINGTON, DC – One year into President Donald Trump’s second term, a new portrait of the Indian American community reveals a population increasingly at odds with the current administration’s trajectory. The 2026 Indian American Attitudes Survey (IAAS), conducted by YouGov in collaboration with researchers from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, American University, and Johns Hopkins-SAIS, highlights a community grappling with domestic policy shifts, economic anxieties, and a troubling rise in online hostility.

The survey of 1,000 Indian American adults conducted between late 2025 and early 2026 indicates a largely critical view of the administration’s performance:

• Overall Job Approval: Only 29% of respondents approve of Trump’s job performance. This makes Indian Americans significantly more critical of the President than the general U.S. population.
• Policy Approval: Strong opposition was recorded across three major pillars:
  • Immigration: 64% disapproval.
  • Domestic Economy: 68% disapproval.
  • International Trade/Tariffs: 70% disapproval.
• U.S.-India Relations: 55% disapprove of the administration’s handling of the bilateral relationship, while only 20% approve. Notably, 25% held no opinion, suggesting foreign policy is a secondary factor in their political evaluations.

While the community remains a stronghold for the Democratic Party, the data shows a slight loosening of traditional ties:

• Partisan Shift: Democratic identification has dipped to 46%, while Republican affiliation has seen a modest rise to 19%. Independents now comprise 29% of the community.
• Ideological Center: The largest single bloc of respondents (32%) identifies as “moderate,” placing the community squarely in the middle of the political spectrum.
• Top Concerns: Economic issues are the primary drivers of political concern. Inflation and rising prices (21%) and jobs (17%) are the leading priorities, followed by healthcare and immigration.

The social atmosphere for Indian Americans appears increasingly tense, characterized by high levels of perceived and experienced bias:

• Personal Bias: Roughly 50% report experiencing discrimination in recent years, primarily based on skin color or country of origin. 25% of respondents reported being targeted with a slur since the beginning of 2025.
• The Digital Frontier: Nearly half of the respondents encounter anti-Indian content on social media regularly. This has led one-third of the community to avoid political discussions online and one-fifth to modify their public behavior or travel habits out of fear of harassment.
• Resilience: Despite these concerns, only 14% frequently consider moving abroad. A majority still recommend the U.S. for employment, indicating a persistent belief in American economic opportunity.

The survey also looked at how specific figures and events resonate with the diaspora:

• Ideological Solidarity: 68% expressed enthusiasm for NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani, with support driven by shared policy views rather than just ethnic identity.
• Representation Concerns: Public comments by Vice President JD Vance regarding religion and marriage were met with widespread negativity, sparking fears about religious inclusion and the future of minority representation.

Survey Methodology: The study was fielded from November 25, 2025, to January 6, 2026, with a margin of error of ±3.6%. It was authored by Sumitra Badrinathan, Devesh Kapur, Andy Robaina, and Milan Vaishnav.