Does Everyone Hate What Trump is Doing? Far from It

On social media, one might get the impression that Americans who voted for President Donald Trump now feel buyer’s remorse.

I have numerous friends and contacts on various social media sites confidently announcing that they are hearing from “many people” who “highly regret” their vote, that they “didn’t realize” how terrible the Orange Man would be, and that we are “welcomed back” to wherever we came from before “Trumpopathy” affected our brains and powers of reason.

I have yet to meet a Trump voter who is anything but delighted that President Trump is delivering on his promises at an impressive pace and scale. I suspect that those who are now “regretting” their vote never truly supported him in the first place.

The squishy Never-Trump “Republicans” revealed their true colors after the 2016 election. It's unclear whether they voted for Trump or Clinton in 2016, but they began criticizing Trump and his supporters soon after his election.

These are former conservatives- whether genuinely or just in name – like Bill Kristol, Jonah Goldberg, Jennifer Rubin, and others – who abruptly forsook all the conservative ideas and principles they had supported throughout their careers simply because the new messenger insulted people and sent mean tweets.

Few never-Trump Republicans remain, as most supported Joe Biden in 2020 and Kamala Harris in 2024. They now realize that their views have become uninteresting and irrelevant to many who once took them seriously.

What do voters really think about the first month of MAGA? Just a week ago, the Harris Poll surveyed nearly 2,500 registered U.S. voters and provided many answers to that question.

They asked whether voters believe the country is on the right or wrong track. Voters feel that America has been on the wrong track for most of the past decade, with a brief improvement in 2021 as we emerged from the dark days of COVID-19. Since Trump was elected again in November, there has been a 15-point increase in the perception that America is on the right track.

Additionally, 38% believe the economy is on the right track, which is 10 points higher than last month. Regarding Trump, in his first month as president, his approval rating stands at 52%, slightly exceeding the percentage of those who voted for him last November, indicating he is gaining, not losing, support.

Trump is outperforming Biden in public perception on crucial issues such as the economy, immigration, foreign affairs, government efficiency, inflation, and the restoration of American values. He currently enjoys nearly or over majority approval on these topics, while Biden has obtained only about a third of voter approval.

Regarding the political parties, the GOP claims a 51% job approval rating, while the Democrats are at only 36%. This suggests that they have difficulty identifying or articulating a message or vision that resonates with Americans.

For voters, inflation and immigration are the top issues, far exceeding the Democratic priorities of climate change, political correctness, and January 6.

When comparing Trump and Biden, most surveyed voters believe Trump is performing better than Biden, with a margin of 58% to 42%.

When asked whether Democrats should wait and observe Trump's efforts to cut government waste before opposing him, two-thirds of voters support a wait-and-see approach. However, Congressional Democrats uniformly oppose most of Trump’s cabinet nominees and the recent House budget resolution.

Slightly more than half (52-58%) of voters believe that Democrats intentionally kept the border open. Interestingly, birthright citizenship, as it is currently implemented, has the support of a narrow margin of voters (55-45%). The US Supreme Court will likely need to resolve this issue.

What about diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)? More than two-thirds of voters (70-30%) believe that hiring should be based on merit. However, voters are evenly divided on whether DEI departments are necessary or should be abolished.

Returning to the original question of voter regret, 49% of Trump voters are satisfied with their choice, roughly the same percentage as the popular vote he won. Eight percent of Harris voters are now satisfied with Trump, while only six percent of Trump voters wish Harris had been the victor.

Let’s shift our focus to Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Two-thirds of voters agree that the national debt is unsustainable, and 80% desire a balanced budget.

Furthermore, 83% of voters say the government should cut expenses instead of increasing taxes, and they support an audit of government spending. Seventy percent (70%) of voters think government expenditures are wasteful.

Seventy-two percent of (72%) voters agree that a government agency like DOGE should reduce spending and enhance efficiency. However, voters are evenly divided on whom they trust more: Congress or the executive branch, to spend taxpayer money wisely.

Rasmussen Reports offers another perspective on Trump. It reveals that 51% of likely US voters approve of his job performance. Meanwhile, 48% believe the country is moving in the right direction, an increase of seven points from the previous week.

We remain a divided country, with 48% of likely U.S. voters believing that Trump is acting like a dictator; this includes 74% of Democrats. This perception likely reflects the corporate media’s ongoing depiction of Trump as a dictator, fascist, Nazi, or other derogatory terms.

Trump has a strong base of support, but unfortunately, a majority of Democrats will oppose him and his policies out of spite. These individuals are unlikely to change their minds. Consider those who continue to drive alone in a car while wearing a face mask to protect themselves from something sinister. Reason will be lost on this group.

Trump’s agenda is defined as “promises made, promises kept. “ Unlike his predecessors, he is not “reaching across the aisle” in a “spirit of bipartisanship. " Instead, he is advancing his agenda at a dizzying pace.

Trump is adopting a scorched-earth strategy, replacing MAGA with the FAFO (F*** Around and Find Out) doctrine. This marks new territory for elected Republicans and fulfills a long-standing desire among Republican voters- dating back to Ronald Reagan's era- that their elected officials arrive armed with a knife rather than adhering to Roberts Rules of Order in a political knife fight.

Despite the portrayal by social and corporate media, most voters appreciate what Trump is doing and do not regret their votes. All I can say about Trump’s agenda is, faster please!

Brian C. Joondeph, M.D., is a physician and writer.

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