A new survey by the Carnegie Endowment shows that a large majority of Indian Americans are unhappy with President Donald Trump’s performance in his second term.
According to the 2026 Indian American Attitudes Survey (IAAS), conducted with YouGov, 71 percent of Indian American respondents said they disapprove of the way Trump is handling his overall job as president. Only 29 percent said they strongly or somewhat approve. The survey was based on responses from 1,000 Indian American adults.
When compared with a nationwide YouGov poll from December 2025, the findings show that Indian Americans are far more critical of Trump than the broader U.S. population.
The report was released one year into Trump’s second term and notes that many Indian Americans are reassessing their political and social position amid changes in domestic policy, strains in U.S.–India relations, and a rise in online hate speech targeting the community.
Disapproval extends across major policy areas. The survey found that 64 percent disapprove of Trump’s immigration policy, 68 percent disapprove of his handling of the domestic economy, and 70 percent disapprove of his international economic policy, including trade and tariffs. In many cases, respondents expressed strong disapproval rather than mild opposition.
Views on Trump’s handling of U.S.–India relations are also largely negative. Fifty-five percent disapprove of his approach, while 20 percent approve. About one-quarter said they had no opinion, suggesting that foreign policy plays a limited role in voting decisions for many.
Politically, Indian Americans continue to lean Democratic, though party attachment has weakened since 2020. Democratic identification has dropped to 46 percent, while Republican affiliation has risen slightly to 19 percent.
Independents now make up 29 percent of respondents. Ideologically, moderates form the largest group at 32 percent.
Economic concerns dominate priorities. Inflation and rising prices were cited as the top issue by 21 percent of respondents, followed by jobs and the economy at 17 percent. Health care and immigration were the only other issues to reach double-digit concern, while foreign policy ranked much lower.
Experiences of discrimination remain common. Twenty-seven percent believe Indian Americans face “a lot” of discrimination in the United States, and about half say they have personally experienced discrimination in recent years. Since the start of 2025, one in four respondents reported being called a slur.
Many also reported frequent exposure to anti-Indian content online. Nearly half said they regularly see such content on social media, while about one-third avoid political discussions online due to discrimination concerns.
Around one-fifth said fear of harassment has affected their travel, public expression, or civic participation. However, overall levels of personal discrimination have not changed significantly compared to earlier survey waves.
Despite these concerns, most respondents do not plan to leave the United States. While 14 percent say they often consider relocating abroad, a majority still recommend the country for employment, citing strong economic opportunities.
The survey also found that reactions to symbolic political events are driven more by ideology than by shared identity. Sixty-eight percent expressed enthusiasm for the election of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, mainly for ideological reasons.
Comments made by Vice President JD Vance on religion and marriage drew negative responses, especially over concerns about inclusion and representation.
Overall, the report concludes that one year into Trump’s second term, Indian Americans continue to feel anxious about discrimination and political shifts, even as they maintain faith in opportunities in the United States.
The survey was conducted between November 25, 2025, and January 6, 2026, with a margin of error of ±3.6 percent. It was authored by Sumitra Badrinathan, Devesh Kapur, Andy Robaina, and Milan Vaishnav, and builds on earlier IAAS surveys from 2020 and 2024.