Seventy-one percent of Indian Americans disapprove of President Donald Trump’s job performance, according to a recent Carnegie survey highlighting concerns over his economic and immigration policies.
As President Donald Trump enters the second year of his second term, a significant majority of Indian Americans—71%—express disapproval of his job performance, according to a new survey conducted by Carnegie. This survey focuses on the perspectives of the over 5.2 million Indian Americans residing in the United States.
The survey reveals a largely negative assessment of Trump’s handling of key issues, including the domestic economy, international economic policy, and immigration. Additionally, evaluations of his management of U.S.-India relations are similarly unfavorable, with 55% of respondents disapproving and only 20% expressing approval. Notably, many participants reported having no opinion on this matter, indicating that foreign policy may not significantly influence their electoral decisions.
The survey suggests that Trump’s actions have strained U.S.-India relations, which were once celebrated as the “defining partnership of the twenty-first century.” The findings are part of the 2026 Indian American Attitudes Survey (IAAS), conducted in partnership with the research firm YouGov. This survey examines the evolving political preferences, increasing political ambivalence, and growing concerns about discrimination amid ongoing U.S. policy changes and geopolitical uncertainty.
While Indian Americans continue to identify predominantly with the Democratic Party, their attachment appears to be weakening. The survey indicates that 46% of Indian Americans identify as Democrats, a decline since 2020, while Republican identification has seen a modest increase to 19%.
Ideologically, the Indian American community tends to cluster around the center of the political spectrum, with moderates representing the largest group at 32%. However, the widespread disapproval of Trump’s policies has not translated into significant gains for the Democratic Party. Although a majority of Indian Americans supported the Democratic presidential ticket in 2024, Trump made notable inroads compared to 2020, particularly among younger male voters.
In 2026, while support for Trump has softened, Democratic support has not rebounded significantly, indicating a growing dissatisfaction with both major political parties. Indian Americans also report a high prevalence of perceived bias, frequent encounters with online racism, and significant levels of personal harassment or discrimination. Despite these challenges, there has been no substantial change in the proportion of respondents reporting direct experiences with discrimination since 2020.
Interestingly, while many Indian Americans are altering their behavior to avoid harassment, the majority do not plan to leave the United States and still recommend it for employment opportunities. The survey suggests that reactions to symbolic political events reveal ideological polarization rather than identity-based attachment.
Indian Americans have shown considerable enthusiasm for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, driven primarily by ideological concerns rather than shared ethnicity or religion. Conversely, remarks made by Vice President JD Vance regarding religion and marriage have drawn strong negative reactions, reflecting concerns about religious inclusion, representation, and belonging.
On the domestic front, commentators have noted a rise in online hate speech and discrimination against Indian Americans. Nevertheless, the 2024 presidential election saw a meaningful increase in support for Trump among the diaspora, which has weakened, though not entirely overturned, the community’s historical alignment with the Democratic Party.
These developments underscore the complexities of how Indian Americans are navigating the current political landscape, policy changes, and debates surrounding identity and belonging in the United States during this period of political flux.
The nationally representative online survey, which included 1,000 Indian American adults, was conducted between November 25, 2025, and January 6, 2026, and has an overall margin of error of ±3.6 percent. This survey builds on earlier IAAS waves conducted in 2020 and 2024, providing a comprehensive portrait of Indian Americans’ partisan identities, voting preferences, policy priorities, evaluations of political leaders, and experiences with discrimination, according to Carnegie.