A majority of Americans view President Donald Trump as a "dangerous dictator whose power should be limited before he destroys American democracy," according to a new survey conducted by the nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI).
The survey found that 52% of Americans agree with the statement, while 44% instead see Trump as "a strong leader who should be given the power he needs to restore America's greatness."
The findings illustrate the extent of the discomfort with Trump's leadership style and policy decisions, even among some who supported him in the past. Among Americans who voted for Trump and now regret their decision, 55% describe him as a dangerous dictator, compared to 42% who continue to see him as a strong leader. Similarly, 68% of non-voters who regret not participating in the last election also label Trump as a dangerous dictator.
PRRI's CEO Melissa Deckman told Axios that the numbers reflect deepening concern over democratic norms. "Most Americans view Trump in dictatorial terms, and I think most Americans are concerned that American democracy is on the line," said Deckman, adding that "it's only been 100 days into the Trump administration, yet we've really seen a pushback among most Americans to the Trump agenda."
The survey, released on Trump's 100th day in office, highlights a political landscape marked by polarization. Support for Trump is strongest among Republicans (81%) and white evangelical Protestants (73%), while majorities of Black Protestants (71%), Hispanic Catholics (69%), and Jewish Americans (64%) see him as a danger to democracy.
White Americans are mostly split, with 51% viewing Trump as a strong leader and 45% as a dangerous dictator.
Independents lean toward the critical view, with 56% labeling Trump a dictator compared to 42% who support giving him more power. This suggests waning support among the middle-of-the-road voters who were key to his election.
Policy moves under Trump, such as mass firings of federal employees, sweeping tariffs, deportations without due process, and the rollback of equity programs, appear to be driving some of the disapproval, while a majority of Americans also reject proposals like placing undocumented immigrants in military-guarded internment camps and closing major federal agencies.
Notably, Trump's approval among Republicans, though still high, sits at 83%, lower than historical figures. Only 35% of independents and 8% of Democrats express favorable views of his leadership.
Trump went on the offensive against unfavorable polls on Sunday by labelling them as "fake" on his Truth Social platform and calling for investigations into the organizations behind them:
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