The National Women’s Law Center partnered with YouGov on a national survey of adults from April 17 to April 23, 2026, finding that the public supports economic justice policies that strengthen gender equity over Trump’s policies. 

The survey shows people are deeply concerned about the cost of living and they believe guaranteeing and expanding basic needs programs and gender equity would do more for them and their families than Trump’s proposals would. 

Economic concerns are a top issue 

Consistent with other polling, respondents expressed deep concern about inflation, the state of the economy, their ability to afford health care, food and groceries, and their ability to raise a family. 

• 91% of respondents said they support bringing down the cost of living. This includes 93% of Democrats, 90% of Republicans, and 86% of Independents.
• 70% of respondents said they are worried about being able to afford health care, including 71% of mothers with children under 18, 79% of disabled women, and 82% of LGBTQ+ people. 
• 69% of respondents said they are worried about being able to afford gas, including 74% of women overall, 75% of mothers with children under 18, 78% of LGBTQ+ people, and 79% of Latinas. 
• 68% of respondents said they are worried about being able to afford groceries and food, including 74% of women overall, 75% of Latinas, 77% of LGBTQ+ people, and 77% of Black women. 
• 76% of respondents say their elected representatives should be doing more to ensure people can afford the everyday items they and their families need. 

There is a desire for stronger basic needs programs and gender equity guarantees 

Respondents expressed a high degree of support for a host of policies that would expand access to basic needs programs, including long-term care and child care, and advance gender equity, such as increasing access to birth control and contraception and strengthening protections against sex-based discrimination.

Almost six in ten (59%) of respondents expressed opposition to making more cuts to basic needs programs such as Medicaid and SNAP in order to spend more on the military. 58% of adults say making it harder for people to access federal basic needs programs will not help them and their families. Respondents also said a variety of gender justice policies would help them and their families: 

• 73% of adults said providing all workers with access to paid family and medical leave would help them and their families, including 86% of mothers with children under 18. 
• 72% of adults said making sure billionaires pay their fair share in taxes would help them and their families, including 75% of women, and 74% of adults whose household income is under $60,000.
• 66% of adults said requiring employers to disclose how much a job pays in job announcements would help them and their families.
• 56% of adults said funding programs that serve domestic violence and sexual assault survivors would help them and their families, including 58% of women.
• 52% of adults said expanding the Child Tax Credit would help them and their families, including 74% of parents with children under 18. 

People do not think Trump’s policies would help their families – and many blame him and Republicans for the country being on the wrong track 

Respondents were asked about some specific proposals being championed by the Trump administration and showed little support for them. Only 22% of adults said eliminating programs focused on women’s history and women’s lives from colleges and universities would help them and their family. Only 25% said making it harder for people to access federal basic needs programs would be of help to them. Only 37% agreed making it more difficult to vote (by banning most mail-in ballots and making it harder for married women and other people who have changed their names to register to vote) is necessary to make elections fairer and safer. Only 32% supported excluding trans kids from school activities. 

Across a variety of issues, when respondents expressed that the country was on the wrong track, an overwhelming majority blamed Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress for it: 

• Cost of Living: 66% of adults said the country is on the wrong track; of those, 81% blamed Trump and 55% blamed Republican leaders in Congress for the country being on the wrong track. 
• Cost of Health Care: 64% of adults said the country is on the wrong track; of those, 68% blamed Donald Trump and 61% blamed Republican leaders in Congress for the country being on the wrong track.  
• Access to Health Care: 54% of adults said the country is on the wrong track; of those, 74% blamed Donald Trump and 64% blamed Republican leaders in Congress for the country being on the wrong track.  
• Access to Abortion: 53% of adults said the country is on the wrong track; of those, 65% blamed Donald Trump and 57% blamed Republican leaders in Congress for the country being on the wrong track. 
• Affordable Long-Term Care for Older Adults and Disabled People: 51% of adults said the country is on the wrong track; of those, 63% blamed Donald Trump and 58% blamed Republican leaders in Congress for the country being on the wrong track.
• Rights and Protections for LGBTQ+ People: 50% of adults said the country is on the wrong track; of those, 63% blamed Donald Trump and 52% blamed Republican leaders in Congress for the country being on the wrong track. 

Many women and LGBTQ+ people said they’re worse off and less safe than before Donald Trump became president 

42% of adults said they are worse off now than before Donald Trump became president, while just 28% said they are better off. Similarly, compared to before Donald Trump became president, 42% of adults said they are less safe now while just 28% said they feel more safe. 

• LGBTQ+ People: 60% said they are worse off than before Donald Trump became president. 70% said they are worse off in their ability to afford gas. 69% said they are worse off in their ability to afford the things they and their family need. 65% said they have fewer rights now than before Donald Trump became president. 69% said they feel less safe than before Donald Trump became president. 
• Disabled Women: 52% said they are worse off than before Donald Trump became president. 51% said they are worse off in their ability to afford gas and 46% said they are worse off in their ability to afford the things they and their family need. 51% said they feel less safe than before Donald Trump became president. 
• Black Women: 51% said they are worse off than before Donald Trump became president. 57% said they are worse off in their ability to save money for the future, 52% said they are worse off in their ability to afford gas, and 50% said they are worse off in their ability to care for their loved ones. 54% said they have fewer rights now than before Donald Trump became president. 60% said they feel less safe than before Donald Trump became president. 
• Latinas: 45% said they are worse off than before Donald Trump became president. 44% said they are worse off in their ability to afford gas and 43% said they are worse off in their ability to save money for the future. 52% said they feel less safe than before Donald Trump became president. 

There’s a strong desire for elected representatives to be doing more 

Respondents want their elected representatives to do more to expand access to basic needs programs and to advance gender equity. For example, 76% said their elected representatives should be doing more to ensure they can afford the everyday items they and their family need. 

When asked if their elected representatives should be doing more on a variety of economic and gender equity issues: 

• 80% said they should be doing more to bring down the cost of living.
• 72% said they should be doing more to guarantee access to affordable health care.
• 69% said they should be doing more to guarantee access to affordable long-term care for older adults and disabled people. 
• 61% said they should be doing more to guarantee access to affordable, high-quality child care.
• 57% said they should be doing more to improve access to voting for all eligible voters.
• 51% said they should be doing more to guarantee the right to be free from sex-based discrimination, including harassment, in the workplace and in school.
• 50% said they should be doing more to guarantee rights and access to birth control and contraception.