A new poll finds voters are widely hopeful that President-elect Donald Trump will focus on lowering prices once he takes office, but with mixed expectations that he will succeed. At the same time, several polls reveal a lukewarm public response to Trump’s picks for key administration posts.
A Fox News Poll The survey conducted Dec. 6-9 finds that the economy remains the nation’s most pressing issue, with 60 percent saying it is extremely important that Trump focus on lowering food prices and gasoline. Lowering prices is by far the first priority of the 10 people questioned in the survey, ahead of reducing taxes for individual taxpayers (47% consider this extremely important), strengthening national defense (42%), expulsion of immigrants who are in the United States illegally (38%), ending diversity, equity and inclusion programs (29%), reducing the size of the federal government (29%), and reducing U.S. aid to Ukraine (26%). The other three were considered extremely important by 20% of voters or less.
But voters are split about evenly on whether food and gas prices will increase (41%) or decrease (39%) under the new Trump administration, with 19% expecting that they remain roughly the same. Most say they expect the country’s southern border to be more secure (56%, including 14% saying it will be less secure) and that restrictions on abortion will increase (52%, including 13% estimate that they will decrease). And more say they expect an increase rather than a decrease in the national debt (48% increase versus a 31% decrease) and their own taxes (37% say they will increase, 30% will decrease) under Trump.
Fox poll finds 47% of voters approve and 50% disapprove of how Trump chooses his Cabinet, with half or fewer saying they would like the Senate to vote to confirm several top picks for Cabinet or other top roles level, but no majority opposition to any of the choices tested. The share in favor of confirmation exceeds the share against for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for secretary of Health and Human Services (48% yes to 43% no), Marco Rubio for secretary of State (46% at 35%), Pam Bondi for Attorney General (37% to 32%) and Scott Bessent for Secretary of the Treasury (32% to 27%). Negative sentiment exceeds positive for Pete Hegseth for secretary of defense (40% no to 31% yes) and Kash Patel for FBI director (38% no to 34% yes).
The results are similar in an AP-NORC survey of adults who disapprove more than approve of Trump’s selection of Kennedy (42% disapprove, 30% approve), Tulsi Gabbard (29% disapprove, 21% approve) and Hegseth (36% disapprove, 17% approve) for office in his administration, with mixed opinions on Rubio (31% approve and 31% disapprove). Major stocks have no opinion on each of these picks, with 28% or more being neutral or unsure about them.
A Monmouth University Survey What emerges today also reveals the public’s division over whether Trump will suspend certain laws and constitutional provisions to go after his political enemies.