Democrats in Congress Lack Trust From Their Own Voters: Poll

Fewer than one in four Democrats believe that Democrats in Congress are standing up to President Donald Trump the right amount, according to a new poll.

Why It Matters

As Trump's administration approaches its one-month mark, Democrats are growing increasingly frustrated with how their representatives in Congress are dealing with the president. Many Democrats are calling for a stronger resistance to his policies and efforts to expand the power of the executive.

After the 2024 presidential race, which saw Republicans win the popular vote in a presidential race for the first time since 2004, Democrats have been divided over the best way to move forward, particularly as Trump's approval rating remains narrowly above water. On Wednesday, FiveThirtyEight's aggregate of recent polls showed 48.7 percent of Americans approved of Trump, while 46.2 percent gave him negative marks.

What To Know

A new poll from SurveyUSA shows a majority of Democrats don't trust those in Congress to stand up to Trump. The poll surveyed 1,705 registered voters from February 13 to February 16, 2025.

Only 22 percent of Democrats said Democrats in Congress are standing up to Trump the right amount. The majority—60 percent—say Democrats aren't doing enough to stand up to Trump, while only 10 percent said Democrats are standing up to Trump too much.

An additional 8 percent were unsure whether Democrats in Congress are standing up to Trump enough.

A Quinnipiac poll also gave red flags for Democrats in Congress. Only 40 percent of Democrats in the poll said they approve of how Democrats in Congress are doing their job, compared to 49 percent who disapprove. The poll surveyed 1,039 registered voters from February 13 to February 17, 2025.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat responded to criticism from Democrats concerned about the approach embraced by those in Congress in an interview with Semafor earlier in February.

He urged Democrats to be patient because Trump would eventually "screw up" on his own.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat, said during a press conference earlier in February that the party doesn't have "leverage," as they are locked out of power.

"They control the House, the Senate and the presidency. It's their government," he said.

But some political experts have compared Democratic frustration with the Tea Party movement Republicans faced after 2008, which reshaped the party.

During an MSNBC interview last Friday, Jeffries said Democrats have "to be prepared to push back in an all-hands-on-deck way" against the "parade of horribles that Donald Trump, Elon Musk and his minions have unleashed on the American people.

"What we've said in the House is that for us, that means the congressional playing field, the courts, as well as pushing back aggressively in the community. And understand particularly where we have the opportunity to win those fights, as has been the case in several instances, including in pushing back aggressively against the illegal funding freeze that would have halted Medicaid as we know it all across the country."

He said there are "limits" to what the Trump administration is capable of doing, pointing to legal challenges.

"And the American people are actually winning those lawsuits, and Donald Trump and his administration are losing," Jeffries said. "We have to keep that up. But we also have to engage aggressively with the community, because at the end of the day, the American people will have to push back as it relates to their tolerance for Trump and Republicans promising to do things to improve their quality of life, but instead doing the exact opposite."

When reached by Newsweek, a Jeffries spokesperson pointed to his remarks on MSNBC.

What People Are Saying

Stefan Smith, head of digital engagement for the American Civil Liberties Union, in a post to X: "I'm growing more and more angry about how the Democratic Party both failed to prepare for this moment—the lack of a plan, the accommodation— and their slow response that they can't seem to sustain.

Will Stancil, researcher and former Democratic Minnesota State House candidate, on X: "Jeffries and Schumer are just profoundly not up to what's happening and what's coming. I'm sorry but it's just true."

What Happens Next

The extent to which the Democratic backlash will change their approach to Trump, or whether incumbents will face primaries from upset Democrats, remains unclear.

Update 2/19/25, 4:39 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.

Update 2/19/25, 5 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.