The Indian American approval charges for Trump’s first 12 months in workplace are decrease (disapproval charges are greater) in comparison with all Individuals. File
| Photograph Credit score: AP
A major majority of Indian Individuals disapprove of U.S. President Donald Trump’s first 12 months job efficiency as per the outcomes of a brand new survey, Indian Individuals in a Time of Turbulence, launched on Thursday (February 19, 2026) by the Carnegie Endowment for Worldwide Peace. Nonetheless, the disapproval for Mr. Trump’s job efficiency has not translated into positive aspects for the Democratic Occasion, which, whereas having stronger assist amongst Indian Individuals relative to the Republican social gathering, is witnessing decrease ranges of assist from this demographic.
Simply 29% of Indian Individuals accredited of Mr. Trump’s efficiency – the identical proportion in comparison with 2020. The outcomes are based mostly on the 2026 Indian American Attitudes Survey (IAAS), which surveyed the attitudes of 1000 Indian American adults between November 25, 2025, and January 6, 2026. The survey knowledge have a margin of error of +/- 3.6%.
When it comes to social gathering affiliation, the Democratic Occasion has seen a decline in assist amongst Indian Individuals from 52%(2020) to 48% (2024) after which to 46%(2026). The affiliation to the Republican Occasion, whereas on the up from 15% to 19% between 2020 and 2024, has remained at 19% in 2026. Greater than 1 / 4 or 29% of Indian Individuals surveyed recognized as Unbiased, up from 23% in 2020 and 25% in 2024, suggesting that the loss to the Democratic social gathering in assist has triggered a rise within the share of Independents.
The Indian American approval charges for Mr. Trump’s first 12 months in workplace are decrease (disapproval charges are greater) in comparison with all Individuals, for whom knowledge was collected in a contemporaneous survey by YouGov.
Disapproval charges for Trump’s insurance policies
Damaged down by coverage areas, the disapproval charges are 64% for immigration insurance policies, 68% for home financial coverage and 70% for worldwide financial coverage (commerce, tariffs, sanctions).
Nonetheless, there’s a sharp distinction throughout social gathering strains, i.e., amongst Indian Individuals who’re Republicans and people who are Democrats. A big majority of Republican Indian Individuals, 76% folks, accredited of Mr. Trump’s immigration insurance policies and 62% accredited of his worldwide financial insurance policies. Some 84% of Indian American Democrats disapproved of Mr. Trump’s immigration insurance policies, and 86% disapproved of his worldwide financial insurance policies.
Indian Individuals on immigration insurance policies
Given the controversies and impression on the Indian American group of the administration’s immigration insurance policies, the survey appears at 5 areas: arresting undocumented immigrants who shouldn’t have a prison file, conducting raids on the office, deporting immigrants to 3rd international locations, actions to finish birthright citizenship and the $100,000 H-1B (expert employee visas) price for brand spanking new petitions.
A sizeable majority of Democrats oppose all 5 classes of insurance policies, whereas Republicans generally confirmed decrease assist for every of those than for immigration coverage as an entire, although a majority of Indian American Republicans, as a rule, nonetheless supported these particular person insurance policies.
Indian Individuals on U.S. relations with India
Solely 20% of Indian Individuals approve of Mr. Trump’s dealing with of relations with India, whereas 55% disapprove. What’s noticeable, as per the authors is {that a} quarter of respondents mentioned “don’t know” to this query, suggesting the problem is of restricted significance to many Indian Individuals. Approval for the dealing with of the India relationship was at 35% in 2020 on the finish of the primary Trump administration and 48% in 2024 on the finish of the administration of former U.S. President Joe Biden.
Between 2024 and 2026, youthful Indian Individuals (18-29) shifted again to the Democrats, as per the survey. That is vital given the elevated assist for Mr. Trump within the November 2024 election from youthful Individuals. These over 50 shifted in the direction of the Republicans. Assist for the Democratic social gathering declined considerably amongst these and not using a faculty diploma and remained secure for these with a university diploma. Indian Individuals with an earnings above $100,000 moved in the direction of the Democratic social gathering.
Throughout non secular teams within the Indian American inhabitants, Hindus are extra Democrat leaning whereas Christians are extra Republican leaning. In truth between 2024 and 2026, Christian Indian American assist for the Republican social gathering elevated 33% to 43% whereas the assist from Hindus and Muslims declined.
The survey report was authored by Sumitra Badrinathan, Devesh Kapur, Andy Robaina and Milan Vaishnav.
Printed – February 19, 2026 11:11 pm IST