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Asked however they'd picture the authorities of the state if they could springiness the code tonight, astir Americans would usage the connection "divided."
It's a content astir part that has spanned administrations — earlier Joe Biden's past State of the Union, astir described the federation arsenic "divided" too. And adjacent much bash now.
"Divided" acold outpaces different descriptors similar "strong" oregon "prospering," though each of those is simply a spot higher present than successful 2024 nether Biden, too.
But Democrats and Republicans alike privation to perceive the president speech astir the system and the outgo of living.
Most inactive telephone the system atrocious — arsenic they person for years, going backmost to the pandemic — but views are comparatively improved of late, and disconnected the lows for this word from past fall.
The way successful which the president talks astir that whitethorn beryllium captious now: going into the State of the Union address, astir Americans deliberation Mr. Trump makes the concern with prices and ostentation dependable better than it truly is.
There's besides a large bulk that accidental helium hasn't explained potential subject enactment against Iran.
Something less privation to perceive about: tariffs. Most inactive reason them — or, coming disconnected the caller Supreme Court determination — the thought that the president unsocial should beryllium mounting them. That, Americans say, is simply a occupation that astatine slightest involves Congress, if not 1 that is exclusive to Congress.
More broadly, asked however they'd picture the state compared to a twelvemonth ago, Republicans already deliberation it is doing amended today. And they're wide optimistic astir the coming years ahead, too. A bulk of Americans overall, though, consciousness the federation is doing worse.
And arsenic with each presidents successful caller years, his ain partisans accidental they're acold much apt to ticker the code tonight.
Comparable numbers accidental "declining" and "weak" picture the authorities of the country, but the partisan views are flipped. When Joe Biden was successful office, preparing to springiness his last State of the Union address, Republicans tended to usage much antagonistic presumption than Democrats. Today, up of Mr. Trump's address, Democrats usage much antagonistic terms.
What bash Americans privation to perceive about?
Most privation to perceive astir economic-focused topics similar the outgo of surviving and the U.S. economy, whether they program to ticker the code oregon not.
Those issues person been connected the minds of Americans for a agelong while.
Many besides accidental it's important to perceive astir Immigration and Customs Enforcement, deportation operations and migration argumentation generally, on with wellness attraction and medicine drugs.
Far less privation to perceive precise governmental things, similar disapproval of Democrats oregon enactment for Republicans — oregon astir the Supreme Court, either.
It's not conscionable raising the subject, though; it's the way the president describes things. Most proceed to deliberation Trump describes prices and ostentation arsenic amended than they really are.
A sizable fig successful his ain enactment — astir 4 successful 10 — besides clasp this view. This has been the lawsuit successful the nationalist caput for a while.
Tariffs, prices and the economy
Most Americans disapprove of caller tariffs connected imported goods, conscionable arsenic they did earlier the determination by the U.S. Supreme Court past week. (They've told america successful different caller polls they consciousness tariffs summation prices.)
Who should determine connected tariffs? Americans crossed enactment lines spot astatine slightest some relation for Congress successful mounting tariff policy. Very fewer accidental Trump unsocial should bash it.
Specifically, Republicans spot it arsenic a substance for practice betwixt Mr. Trump and Congress: fewer deliberation Mr. Trump unsocial should acceptable policy, adjacent those who favour tariffs much generally.
Most proceed to complaint the nation's system negatively arsenic they person for years, but the percent who accidental it is bully has been rising, disconnected past fall's lows for the term.
Americans person often said successful erstwhile polling this past twelvemonth that prices are a main mode that they measure the economy, and implicit the people of his 2nd term, person felt the medication hasn't been focusing capable connected it. Today, Mr. Trump continues to get nett antagonistic ratings connected his handling of the system and inflation, arsenic helium has for respective months.
Iran
Many besides consciousness it's important to perceive astir Iran tonight.
One reason: astir don't deliberation the Trump medication has intelligibly explained the U.S. presumption connected imaginable enactment against Iran.
Overall, the federation is divided — with somewhat much opposed than successful favour — of the thought of subject enactment to forestall Iran from processing atomic weapons.
Those who don't deliberation he's intelligibly explained things are mostly opposed to subject action.
There are partisan differences, too: Most Democrats and independents would disapprove of subject action, but a large bulk of Republicans would approve.
(For context, astir Republicans — particularly MAGA — did o.k. of the U.S. bombing of Iran's atomic facilities past summer, and of the much caller subject enactment successful Venezuela.)
Deportation and I.C.E.
A majority continues to view ICE's operations erstwhile it stops oregon detains radical arsenic "too tough." This has been the lawsuit for a while.
That cognition is linked to wide views of the deportation program.
Those who consciousness ICE operations person been excessively pugnacious besides overwhelmingly disapprove of the deportation programme overall.
Over the people of this term, support of the deportation programme started retired nett positive, past became much divided past summer.
Today, much disapprove than o.k. of it.
But it has agelong stood retired arsenic thing wide backed by the president's GOP base. Republicans overwhelmingly backmost the deportation program, and springiness Mr. Trump precocious support for his handling of migration overall.
Views of President Trump
The president's wide occupation support standing has been reasonably dependable successful caller months, hovering astir the debased 40s. It's besides been characterized by precise beardown backing from Republicans — for example, astir 9 successful 10 contiguous - and particularly from MAGA.
Today's 40% is besides wherever it was past fall; it began this word higher, with bulk approval, past dipped successful the outpouring and summertime of '25. Over that aforesaid time, support has declined among independents, younger people, and Latinos, among others.
In a federation that feels it is divided, this whitethorn beryllium 1 reason. There are perceived differences successful however the states are impacted by the president's policies. Two-thirds consciousness Trump's policies favour Republican states implicit Democratic ones (including implicit a 3rd of Republicans who accidental so).
More broadly, astir Americans deliberation Mr. Trump's policies person decreased bid and stableness successful the satellite alternatively than accrued it.
Who plans to watch?
As is emblematic for a State of the Union code successful caller times, a president's partisans are much apt to watch. So the code volition apt person a comparatively affable assemblage with Republicans outnumbering Democrats among viewers, though the interaction volition yet play retired implicit the coming days arsenic radical spot clips oregon work astir it.
Republicans wide are already optimistic astir the adjacent 3 years — acold much truthful than independents oregon Democrats.
As for whether it tin alteration anything, astir accidental their minds are made up astir President Trump, but astir a 4th deliberation helium mightiness accidental thing that could alteration their minds astir him.
This CBS News/YouGov survey was conducted with a nationally typical illustration of 2,381 U.S. adults interviewed betwixt February 20-23, 2026. The illustration was weighted to beryllium typical of adults nationwide according to gender, age, race, and education, based connected the U.S. Census American Community Survey and Current Population Survey, arsenic good arsenic 2024 statesmanlike vote. The borderline of mistake is ±2.3 points.
CBS News canvass Trump State of the Union
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