As President Donald Trump’s sweeping tax and policy package—nicknamed the “One Big Beautiful Bill”—continues to move through Congress, new polling shows Americans largely disapprove of the legislation overall, though views on specific provisions are more mixed.
At a promotional event last Thursday, Trump framed the bill as a cornerstone of his 2024 campaign promises:
“Almost every major promise made in the 2024 campaign already will have become a promise kept. That’s very important,” he said.
Public Opinion: Majority Oppose, But Key Provisions Divide Voters
A Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday found that 55% of registered voters oppose the bill, with only 29% in support and 16% undecided. Predictably, support splits along party lines—67% of Republicans back the bill, while 87% of Democrats oppose it.
However, when voters were asked about a key provision that would impose new work requirements on able-bodied, childless Medicaid recipients, the response was nearly evenly divided: 47% support the provision, while 46% oppose it.
A mid-June Fox News poll showed similar results. It found that 59% of voters opposed the bill overall, while 38% supported it. Notably, about 4 in 10 said they didn’t understand the legislation “very much” or “at all.”
When asked how the bill would impact them personally, 49% of voters in the Fox News poll said it would hurt their families, compared to just 23% who said it would help. Another 26% said it would make no difference.
Many Americans Are Unfamiliar With the Bill’s Details
A Washington Post/Ipsos survey taken in early June found that while 42% of adults opposed the bill and only 23% supported it, a significant 34% had no opinion—largely due to a lack of awareness. In fact, 66% said they had heard little or nothing about the legislation.
That same poll found stronger support for individual provisions:
- 49% supported extending tax cuts from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
- Support jumped to 71% for continuing tax cuts for those earning under $100,000.
- Support dropped below 50% when tax cuts applied to earners above $400,000 or corporations.
Pew and KFF Polls Also Show Skepticism
A Pew Research Center poll from early June echoed these trends. About 49% of Americans opposed the bill, while 29% supported it. More than half (54%) said the bill would have a “mostly negative effect on the country.” Still, half of respondents supported Medicaid work requirements.
Another hot-button item—boosted funding for border security and deportation—was more divisive. Pew found 45% of Americans opposed it, while 41% favored it.
The nonprofit health policy group KFF reported that 64% of American adults had an unfavorable view of the bill, with just 35% expressing a favorable opinion. Only 17% believed the bill would help their families, while 44% thought it would hurt. Still, 79% agreed the government should provide health insurance for low-income Americans who can’t afford it—highlighting strong general support for Medicaid itself.
What’s Next?
As the bill barrels toward a final Senate vote amid high-stakes negotiations, Trump and his allies continue to promote it as a defining achievement. But with public opinion this fractured—and a large portion of Americans still unclear about what the bill actually does—the political risks may be just as big as the legislation itself.
