An Economist/YouGov poll indicates that nearly half of registered voters perceive the Supreme Court as biased in favor of President Donald Trump. The poll, conducted from September 4 to 8 with 1,469 registered voters, reveals that 44 percent see the Court as favoring Trump. Only 12 percent believe it is biased against him. Meanwhile, 27 percent see the Court as impartial, and 18 percent are uncertain. The survey carries a margin of error of 3.4 percent.
Perceptions are deeply divided along party lines. Among voters who backed then-Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, 81 percent view the Court as pro-Trump. In contrast, only 9 percent of Trump supporters share this view. For Democrats, 77 percent think the Court favors Trump, while 20 percent of Republicans believe it is against him. Almost half of Republicans believe Trump is treated fairly. Among independents, 44 percent think the Court is pro-Trump, 23 percent see fairness, and 8 percent view it as against Trump.
The poll also notes diminished approval for the Supreme Court since the summer. Fifty-six percent disapprove of the Court’s performance, while only 34 percent approve. Comparatively, a July poll showed 50 percent disapproval and 36 percent approval. Descriptions of the Court as conservative rose from 44 percent in July to 49 percent in the latest survey. The number identifying the Court as liberal inched up from 9 percent to 10 percent.
Recent Supreme Court activity includes declining to reinstate a Republican-backed congressional map in Missouri and issuing rulings affecting Trump’s administration and Republican campaign strategies. These acts have contributed to public scrutiny over the Court’s ideological direction and its alignment with Trump.
The poll further notes that 47 percent of voters believe recent Supreme Court rulings have excessively empowered Trump. Thirty percent think the power balance is right, 8 percent feel the rulings offer too little power, and 15 percent are undecided. Additionally, 73 percent agree the president should comply with the Court, even if he disagrees with it. A smaller share, 11 percent, disagrees with this stance, while 16 percent remain uncertain.
Opinions on individual justices differ sharply. In a July Economist/YouGov poll, Amy Coney Barrett was viewed favorably by 23 percent, unfavorably by 38 percent. Clarence Thomas received a 29 percent favorable and 41 percent unfavorable rating. Chief Justice John Roberts’s ratings were 25 percent favorable and 36 percent unfavorable. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was viewed favorably by 34 percent and unfavorably by 26 percent. The poll suggests declining popularity for Justices Thomas, Barrett, and Kavanaugh, reflecting shifts in public opinion.
Contact Newsweek editors Samantha Beech and Gray R. Thomas for further information.