Americans Surge in Viewing Trump as a “Dangerous Dictator,” Poll Shows

A Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) poll of 5,469 adults conducted May 1-18 found that 59 % of respondents describe President Donald Trump as “a dangerous dictator whose power should be limited before he destroys American democracy.” Support for this view rose from 52 % in March. The poll’s margin of error is ±1.53 percentage points. The same survey reported that 38 % of participants view Trump as a strong leader who should be given the power needed to restore America’s greatness, with higher agreement among Republicans (78-81 %) than among other parties.

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The poll’s release coincided with the Trump administration’s push toward a peace deal ending the more-than-100-day war with Iran, which began after U.S. and Israeli strikes in late February. In response, the House passed a war-powers resolution on April 30, voting 215-208, with four Republicans—Warren Davidson (OH), Thomas Massie (KY), Tom Barrett (MI) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA)—joining Democrats. The resolution would force an end to the conflict without congressional authorization. The Senate attempted a ninth war-powers resolution the following week, failing 47-48, again with four Republicans supporting it. Under the War Powers Resolution, the administration has 60 days to seek congressional approval; officials argue the clock does not apply because a cease-fire has been reached. A White House official told Newsweek the House measure “will not” reach the president’s desk and, as a concurrent resolution, “would carry no legal force even if approved by the Senate.”

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The PRRI poll found 66 % of Americans hold an unfavorable view of Trump’s handling of the Iran war; 51 % rate it “very unfavorable.” Among Democrats, 87 % view it very unfavorably, while 67 % of Republicans favor his approach. An ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll (April 24-28) reported 61 % of respondents believe it was a mistake for Trump to start the war, with 79 % of Republicans supporting the decision but only 50 % of non-MAGA Republicans doing so. Democrats opposed the war at 91 %, and 71 % of independents agreed it was a mistake. A Reuters/Ipsos poll (April 24-27) showed 34 % approval of the strikes, down from 38 % in March.

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Trump’s immigration agenda, promising up to one million deportations per year, was viewed favorably by 37 % of respondents and unfavorably by 58 %. Favorability fell across party lines: Republican support dropped from 90 % in March to 82 % in May; independent support fell from 48 % to 31 %; Democratic support fell from 13 % to 6 %. A Harvard CAPS/Harris poll (May 29-31) recorded a 49 % approval and 51 % disapproval of Trump’s immigration handling.

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• Davis Ingle, White House spokesperson: “The ultimate poll was November 5 2024 when nearly 80 million Americans overwhelmingly elected President Trump to deliver on his popular and commonsense agenda. No other President in history has accomplished more for the American people than President Trump, who is working tirelessly to create jobs, cool inflation, increase housing affordability, and more.”

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• White House official on the House resolution: “The House resolution will not reach the president’s desk and, as a concurrent resolution, would carry no legal force even if approved by the Senate.”

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Lawmakers from both parties criticized the president’s unilateral military action, arguing it exceeded his authority without congressional approval. The narrow bipartisan House vote and repeated Senate defeats illustrate legislative resistance. Public sentiment mirrors this opposition, with majorities across the political spectrum labeling Trump’s Iran strategy as a mistake.

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• Support for the Iran strikes: Reuters/Ipsos reported 34 % approval in April, while an earlier March poll showed 38 % approval, indicating a modest decline but no consensus on the exact level of support.

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• Perception of dictatorial power: The PRRI poll shows a rise to 59 % in May, yet earlier data from September 2025 (future-dated in the source) recorded 56 %, suggesting a possible upward trend but leaving the precise trajectory unclear.

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1. “The ultimate poll was November 5th 2024 when nearly 80 million Americans overwhelmingly elected President Trump to deliver on his popular and commonsense agenda.” — Davis Ingle, White House spokesperson

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2. “ The statement continued, "No other President in history has accomplished more for the American people than President Trump, who is working tirelessly to create jobs, cool inflation, increase housing affordability, and more.” — Davis Ingle, White House spokesperson

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3. “The White House official at the time told Newsweek that the House resolution "will not" reach the president's desk and, as a concurrent resolution, would carry no legal force even if approved by the Senate.” — White House official (name not provided)

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4. “is a dangerous dictator whose power should be limited before he destroys American democracy.” — Language of PRRI poll question

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The surge in authoritarian perceptions reflects deepening partisan polarization and raises questions about democratic legitimacy. High unfavorable ratings for Trump’s foreign-policy and immigration actions may influence upcoming congressional elections, legislative attempts to curb executive war powers, and public pressure on the administration’s policy agenda.

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• The Senate is expected to consider another war-powers resolution as the Iran cease-fire negotiations continue.

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• Further public-opinion tracking will gauge whether the “dangerous dictator” label stabilizes or rises ahead of the 2024 election cycle.

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• Legislative debates on immigration enforcement are likely to intensify as public support continues to wane.

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