Asian-Americans’ trust in Trump fading as economic woes increase, survey finds

Asian-Americans are growing increasingly disillusioned with US President Donald Trump and his Republican Party as economic concerns rise ahead of the midterms, according to a new survey. The poll, conducted by AAPIVote and AP-NORC, revealed that nine out of ten Asian-Americans consider the economy their top priority when voting in the upcoming elections, compared to 73% who prioritize healthcare.

The survey comes amid declining consumer confidence, rising inflation, and increasing gas prices, as well as the ongoing Iran war initiated by Trump in collaboration with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

While Trump's approval ratings among Asian-Americans were once similar to those of the general public, they have since plummeted. In the past, around one-quarter of Asian-Americans had a favorable view of Trump or approved of his performance as president. Today, that number stands at just one-quarter, compared to roughly 33% of overall US voters.

Further compounding this disaffection, ICE arrest and detention rates among Asian individuals have surged dramatically. Between January 2025 and August 2026, ICE arrested 21,078 Asian individuals, a 436% increase over the previous period. Detentions also climbed by 512%, and deportations rose by 1,103%. Indians and Chinese accounted for 29% and 26% of these arrests, respectively.

The survey also found that Republicans have lost ground among Asian-Americans. In March 2025, roughly half of Asian-Americans thought Democrats would handle the economy and immigration better than Republicans. Today, nearly twice as many AAPI adults express trust in Democrats to address these key issues compared to Republicans.

Moreover, anti-immigrant hostility toward Asian-Americans has risen significantly since the second Trump administration. A report by Stop AAPI Hate revealed that such expressions increased by 50% among 1,825 reported hate incidents between January 2023 and June 2026. Trump's rhetoric and policies have been at the forefront of this alarming trend, with many Asian-Americans subjected to derogatory language, threats of deportation, and condescending remarks like "go back where they came from."