By Brendan Rascius
The Charlotte Observer
(TNS)
Americans have mixed feelings about President Donald Trump’s proposed budget resolution, which just passed in the House of Representatives, according to new polling.
The sweeping spending legislation—which covers fiscal year 2025—narrowly passed in a 215-214 vote on May 22, paving the way for a reconciliation process.
“‘THE ONE, BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ … is arguably the most significant piece of Legislation that will ever be signed in the History of our Country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social following the razor-thin vote.
Here is where the public stands on the bill, according to a new YouGov/Economist survey, which sampled 1,710 U.S. adults May 16-19.
Public opinion on the ‘One, big, beautiful bill’
In the poll, a plurality of respondents, 43%, said they opposed the budget proposed by Trump and Republicans in Congress. Meanwhile, 36% said they supported it, and 21% said they had no opinion.
The vast majority of Republican respondents, 76%, backed the bill, while 80% of Democrats said they were against it. Independents were more closely divided, with 41% opposed and 27% in favor.
When asked who will pay more in taxes under the new legislation, the largest share of respondents, 36%, said the middle class will. A slightly smaller share, 33%, said the poor will pay more, and 28% said the wealthy will.
In contrast, 42% said they think the wealthy will face a lower tax burden, while 29% said the same for the poor, and just 17% said the same for the middle class.
Further, large shares of respondents think the bill will negatively impact them and their finances, according to the poll, which has a margin of error of about 3 percentage points.
Forty percent said the Trump-backed budget will lead to them paying more in taxes. Just 19% said they think they will pay less in taxes, and 22% said they think their taxes will remain relatively steady.
An additional 40% said the budget will harm them and their family, while about half that, 21%, said it will help them. Twenty-one percent said it won’t have a major impact.
Further, 37% said they believe the legislation will increase the federal budget deficit, compared to the 21% who said it will shrink the deficit. Sixteen percent said it will stay the same.
More about the bill
The legislation—passed without a single Democratic vote—includes many of the GOP’s fiscal priorities, many of which closely align with Trump’s agenda.
A key item in the bill is a roadmap to extend the tax cuts included in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, according to the Economic Policy Institute.
It also includes provisions to abolish federal taxes on tips and overtime pay, both of which were campaign promises of Trump.
The bill allocates an additional $150 billion to the Defense Department, increasing the Pentagon’s budget to $1 trillion, according to Breaking Defense.
It also boosts funding for border security, per NBC News.
At the same time, it reduces spending in other areas. Namely, it slashes hundreds of billions of dollars in Medicaid funding as well as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding.
Additionally, it will raise the federal deficit to the tune of $3.8 trillion over the next decade, according to an analysis from the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office.
In a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, House Speaker Mike Johnson said the legislation “reduces spending, permanently lowers taxes for families and job creators, secures the border, unleashes American energy dominance, restores peace through strength, and makes government work more efficiently and effectively for all Americans.”
Democrats had an altogether different response.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a statement: “The GOP Tax Scam rips healthcare and food assistance away from millions of people in order to provide tax cuts to the wealthy, the well-off and the well-connected.”
Photo caption: President Donald Trump takes the stage to speak at a celebration of his first 100 days in office on April 29, 2025, at Macomb Community College in Warren, MI. (Robin Buckson/The Detroit News/TNS)
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©2025 The Charlotte Observer. Visit charlotteobserver.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency LLC.
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