Survey finds most Asian Americans see Trump as a ‘dangerous dictator’

A majority of Asian Americans agree with most Americans in viewing President Donald Trump as a “dangerous dictator” whose power should be limited to protect U.S. democracy, according to a national survey released on April 29 by the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI). The findings came as Trump marked the first 100 days of his second term in office.

The PRRI poll, conducted from Feb. 28 to March 20 among 5,627 U.S. adults, found that 52% of Americans overall view Donald Trump as a “dangerous dictator whose power should be limited before he destroys American democracy.” In contrast, 44% see him as a “strong leader who should be given the power he needs to restore America’s greatness.”

Nearly 9 in 10 Democrats (87%) characterized Trump as a dangerous dictator, while 81% of Republicans described him as a strong leader. Independents were more divided, with 46% viewing him as a strong leader and 41% as a dangerous dictator.

Overall, 40% of Americans hold a favorable view of Trump, while 59% view him unfavorably. Favorability is highest among Republicans (83%), followed by independents (35%), and lowest among Democrats (8%).

Among Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) respondents, 58% said Trump is a dangerous dictator — a rate higher than among white Americans (45%) and comparable to Black (67%) and Latino (63%) respondents.

Trump’s favorability among AAPI respondents remains low, with only 22% holding a favorable view of him as of 2023. Favorability dropped to 17% among college-educated AAPI adults and 11% among those who are religiously unaffiliated.

Despite partisan differences in opinion about Trump, the survey found broad agreement on presidential accountability. Eighty-nine percent of respondents agreed that no elected official — including the president — should be above the law.

When asked about Trump’s mass firing of federal employees across multiple agencies, 52% of Americans said it was an overreach of presidential power. Forty-seven percent said it was a legitimate use of authority.

Melissa Deckman, CEO of PRRI, noted that concerns about the health of American democracy are widespread. While most Americans support democratic principles, 20% agreed with the statement: “Because things have gotten so far off track, we need a president who is willing to break some laws if that’s what it takes to save the country.” Among those who primarily consume far-right news sources, 50% agreed.

Seventeen percent of respondents said they would support postponing the 2026 midterm elections if Trump cannot resolve national crises. That view was backed by 27% of Republicans, 12% of independents and 8% of Democrats.