Americans See Foreign Trade as Positive

While the Trump administration often laments past trade deals the U.S. has made with allies and nations, most Americans believe foreign trade is an opportunity for economic growth that can benefit the country.

In a recent Gallup poll, 79 percent of total respondents saw trade as an opportunity for economic growth, while only 18 percent saw it as a threat to the economy. This is up from the Obama administration years, where Americans were mostly split on the effectiveness of foreign trade.

Across partisan lines, 82 percent of Democrats and 78 percent of Republicans agreed that foreign trade is good for the U.S. economy in 2020. This number has risen in recent years and soared astronomically since 1992, when only 49 percent of Republicans and 36 percent of Democrats favored foreign trade. More specifically, most Republicans and Democrats favor the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), with 88 percent of Republicans and 73 percent of Democrats saying the free trade agreement is good for the U.S.

Ultimately, while the current Trump administration favors isolationist policies when it comes to international affairs, many Americans currently see foreign trade as a good opportunity for growth. While Republicans and Democrats may disagree on how to coordinate foreign trade, increased exports and other forms of trade are heavily favored in the country.