Two-thirds of Americans say that the country is “pretty seriously off on the wrong track,” while just under a third believe the country is moving in the right direction, according to an ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll conducted using Ipsos’ KnowledgePanel.
Overall, Americans seem unhappy and anxious. A slim majority say the economy has worsened since President Donald Trump took office. Majorities also feel that both major political parties and the president are out of touch with the public. Additionally, a growing number of Americans are increasingly concerned about the government shutdown.
When it comes to crime, far more Democrats consider it worse than at the beginning of Trump’s second term in February. In large U.S. cities, 32% say crime is “very serious,” while about half of Americans say it is serious overall. Just under two in ten report that crime is serious in their local area.
The share of Americans who say crime in the U.S. is “extremely serious” stands at 17%, down from about a quarter in 2023 and early 2024, according to Gallup polling. Only 8% say crime is extremely serious where they live, a figure that has remained in the single digits since Gallup began tracking it in 2000 — though it is numerically higher than in previous years.
Republicans are far more likely to view crime in large U.S. cities as “extremely serious” (42%) compared to Democrats (17%) and independents (27%).
Regarding immigration enforcement, Americans are divided over the role of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detaining and deporting undocumented immigrants, both nationally, in large cities, and in their local communities. About six in ten Republicans “strongly” support the ICE surge in these areas, while about two-thirds of Democrats strongly oppose it. More independents oppose expanded ICE deportations than support them.
About 57% of Americans say ICE and Homeland Security agents should not be allowed to wear masks or face coverings while on duty, whereas around 41% believe it should be permitted. Majorities of Democrats (88%) and independents (64%) oppose face coverings, while a majority of Republicans (77%) support allowing agents to cover their faces.
A similar share of Americans (58%) believe that a U.S. president should not be able to order the National Guard into a state over the objections of that state’s governor. Forty percent say a president should have this authority. Approximately nine in ten Democrats and two-thirds of independents are against it, whereas eight in ten Republicans support the president’s ability to send the National Guard despite a governor’s objection.
### Trump on International Issues
Nearly half of Americans (47%) say President Trump is spending “about the right amount of time” on international crises. Around one-third (32%) say he is spending “too much time,” and about two in ten (19%) believe he is spending “too little time” on these issues.
Approximately 39% of Americans say Trump deserves “a great deal” or “a good amount” of credit for the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. Just over 40% attribute “just some” or “no” credit to him.
Regarding Russia and Ukraine, 46% say Trump is “too supportive of Russia,” 8% say he is “too supportive of Ukraine,” and 41% think he is handling the situation about right.
### Politically Motivated Violence
When asked about politically motivated violence in the U.S., 34% of Americans blame the Republican Party, compared to 28% who blame the Democratic Party. Another 28% say both parties are equally to blame, and 9% say neither is responsible.
Since 2022, more Americans have blamed the Republican Party than the Democratic Party for political violence, according to the poll.
### 2024 Vote Regret?
Wide majorities of both President Trump’s and former Vice President Kamala Harris’s supporters say voting for their candidates was “the right thing to do” in 2024.
– 92% of Trump supporters affirm their vote was right, while 7% express regret.
– An even larger share of Harris supporters (97%) say voting for her was correct, with only 3% regretting their vote.
These numbers have remained stable since this question was last asked in April.
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This poll was conducted from December 24 to 28, 2025, in English and Spanish among a random national sample of 2,725 U.S. adults. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.9 percentage points, including the design effect. Error margins are larger for subgroups. The partisan breakdown of respondents was 28% Democrats, 31% Republicans, and 41% independents or other affiliations.
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/americans-country-wrong-track-blame-trump-inflation-poll/story?id=127064620