The Low-Down: 61% of Americans Polled Believe Trump "Not Being Tough Enough On Putin"

Despite the Trump administration's evident affinity for Putin and his authoritarian policies, they must also be mindful of US public opinion.

For the past 100 years, Americans have embraced the belief that Russia is their enemy. That deep-seated feeling cannot simply be erased overnight. And with Americans' general sympathy for underdogs, Ukraine's having given the much larger invading Russian army a very bloody nose over three years of unequal war has also elicited support. That 61% of voters polled - a substantial majority in electoral political terms - think Trump is not being tough enough on Putin signals that the US President does not have free rein to throw Ukraine to the Russian wolves, if that were his inclination, and that he will have to appear to be more balanced in his approach if he does not want to lose US public opinion in his peacemaking effort. JL

Martha McHardy reports in Newsweek:

A new poll reveals that a majority of Americans think President Trump is not taking a tough enough stance on Russian President Putin. According to the latest Harvard CAPS / Harris poll, among registered voters, 61% of Americans think Trump is not tough enough on President Putin. That includes 44% of Republicans, 76% of Democrats and 65% of independents. While Ukraine has agreed to a U.S. proposal for a total 30-day ceasefire, Russia continues to refuse unless its terms are met.
Anew poll reveals that a majority of Americans think President Donald Trump is not taking a tough enough stance on Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Why It Matters
Over the past two months, Europe and Ukraine have watched with growing apprehension as the newly installed Trump administration has moved closer to Russia. The White House has pressed ahead with ceasefire talks and negotiations on a much-debated mineral deal, a development that has left Kyiv with limited room to maneuver. This warming relationship has fueled concerns among European allies, who fear that Washington's shift in posture could weaken Western solidarity against Russian aggression and undermine Ukraine's strategic position in ongoing conflicts.
What To Know
According to the latest Harvard CAPS / Harris poll, conducted between March 26-27 among 2,746 registered voters, 61 percent of Americans think Trump is not tough enough on President Putin. That includes 44 percent of Republicans, 76 percent of Democrats and 65 percent of independents.
Meanwhile, 30 percent said he is about the right level of tough on the Russian president, while 9 percent said he is too tough. Among Republicans, 47 percent said he is about the right level of tough, and only 9 percent said he is too tough.

Voters were more divided when it came to Trump's treatment of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. The poll showed that 34 percent said Trump is not tough enough, while 35 percent said he is too tough, and 31 percent said he is about right. Among Republicans, 17 percent said Trump is too tough on Zelensky, 36 percent said he is not tough enough, and 47 percent said he is about right. Democrats were most likely to say Trump is too tough on the Ukrainian president, with 56 percent saying so, and independents were most likely to say he is not tough enough, with 37 percent saying so.
During his second term, Trump has made it his priority to end the war in Ukraine, which would prove a major foreign policy achievement for his second administration.
But negotiations took a sharp turn last month when Trump and Zelensky argued in front of reporters in the Oval Office, which led to Zelensky departing the White House without signing a much-touted deal to grant the U.S. access to Kyiv's rare earth minerals, and Trump temporarily suspended military aid and battlefield intelligence sharing with Ukraine. However, the U.S. resumed sharing aid and intelligence with Ukraine earlier this month.

Meanwhile, Russia and Ukraine agreed to a ceasefire covering the Black Sea, a key battleground, last week after fresh talks with the U.S. in Saudi Arabia. But while Ukraine has agreed to a U.S. proposal for a total 30-day ceasefire, Russia continues to refuse unless its terms are met.

Trump has threatened additional tariffs and sanctions against Russia several times in the past months but has largely avoided taking the step.
The latest threat came over the weekend when Trump threatened Russia with tariffs on oil as President Putin continues to frustrate efforts to finalize a deal with Ukraine and bring the ongoing war to a close.
"If Russia and I are unable to make a deal on stopping the bloodshed in Ukraine, and if I think it was Russia's fault—which it might not be—but if I think it was Russia's fault, I am going to put secondary tariffs on oil, on all oil coming out of Russia," Trump said during a phone call with NBC News' Meet the Press host Kristen Welker.

"That would be that if you buy oil from Russia, you can't do business in the United States," the president added. "There will be a 25 percent tariff on all oil, a 25- to 50-point tariff on all oil."
Trump also told Welker he's "very angry" and "p****d off" over Putin's suggestion that Ukraine form a transitional government as part of a ceasefire, effectively sidelining Zelensky. Kyiv rejected the idea, citing its constitution, which prohibits elections during wartime.
Russia has, throughout more than three years of full-scale war, attempted to paint the government in Kyiv—and Zelensky—as illegitimate. Ukraine has not held elections since Zelensky swept into power in 2019. The country's constitution bans national elections when martial law is in force.
His term as president was due to end in 2024, but martial law has been in place since Moscow invaded in February 2022. Zelensky has said elections will take place when martial law is lifted.

Trump himself has called Zelensky a "dictator," a label he refused to pin on Putin when probed by reporters.
In separate comments on Sunday, Trump appeared to soften his tone on the Russian president, telling reporters on Air Force One that he trusts Putin to do the right thing over the peace deal.
"I don't think he's going to go back on his word. You're talking about Putin. I don't think he's going to go back on his word. I've known him for a long time. We've always gotten along well," he said.
In a previous interview with Fox News, Trump claimed no one has been tougher

In a Sunday evening video address, Zelensky called for tougher sanctions on Russia, increased air defense for Ukraine, and greater unity among allies to weaken Russia's ability to continue the war.
The Harvard CAPS / Harris poll shows that 44 percent of Americans are unsatisfied with how Trump is managing to negotiate an end to the war between Ukraine and Russia. Meanwhile, 70 percent said they want Ukraine to negotiate a settlement with Russia. Some 47 percent said they think Trump and his administration are abandoning Ukraine in favor of Russia. However, 53 percent said that is not the case.
What People Are Saying
Donald Trump told Fox News: "I think I've been very tough to Russia. Tougher than anybody's ever been to Russia, if you think about it. I'm the one that put sanctions on Russia," Trump said. "I'm the one that gave the javelins against Russia. I've been very tough."
President Zelensky said in a Sunday evening video address: "Russia deserves increased pressure—all the tough measures that can break its capacity to wage war and sustain the system that wants nothing but war. Sanctions against Russia are essential. More air defense for Ukraine is essential. More cooperation and unity among all partners is essential."