POLL: JEWISH AMERICANS OPPOSE TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDERS BY OVERWHELMING MAJORITIES

Barbara Goldman Goldberg • April 24, 2025

NATIONAL ONLINE SURVEY OF JEWISH REGISTERED VOTERS

Poll Briefing Thursday 4/24/2025 at 1pm  -


U.S. Jews Oppose Executive Orders and other actions by factors of 3, 4, and even 5-1


Washington, DC – By overwhelming margins, American Jews oppose President Trump’s Executive Orders and other actions on virtually all current issues surveyed, according to a new poll by the Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI), an independent, nonpartisan organization dedicated to explaining the views of American Jewish voters. By a factor of exactly 3-1 (72-24%), American Jews disapprove of the job President Trump is doing and by a similar margin (72-23%), they believe the country is moving in the wrong direction.


These are among the findings of a new survey of 800 registered American Jewish voters, conducted for JEI by the Mellman Group from April 15-18. The numbers have a margin of error of +/-3.5% and is representative of known national age, gender, education, geography, racial and ethnic group, and Jewish movement affiliation. (The 10% who identify as Orthodox are broken out below.) 


• The poll results can be found here. Detailed crosstab results from the poll can be downloaded here. And a one-page description of the poll can be found here.


(1) POLL BRIEFING INVITATION: 


Join JEI and the Mellman Group for a poll briefing today, Thursday, April 24 at 1pm EDT. 

You can join the briefing here:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86126188187?pwd=Pz26edIgurYCAet4pjVZsa6v35FpBt.1


(2) QUOTES FROM JEI LEADERS and POLLSTER: 


“This poll makes it clear that President Trump’s executive actions – across the board – are wholly rejected by American Jewish voters. The president should not ignore these results, including on his handling of antisemitism, as they reflect significant political risks for both him and his party in upcoming elections,” says the Honorable Martin Frost, a former Member of Congress and JEI’s Honorary Chair and Chairman Emeritus.


"For too long, political assumptions about American Jewish voters have clouded our understanding of the views of American Jewish electorate. While America Jews might differ on a myriad of issues, they have consistently played a notably high turnout in local, state, and national elections across the country. I’m proud that JEI has produced empirically sound non-partisan data that captures, at this moment, the pulse of the American Jewish electorate. This poll serves as a valuable resource and helps inform our nation’s policymakers and the public with important insight into what American Jews are thinking, right now, on the most crucial issues of the day," says Barbara Goldberg Goldman, JEI’s Board Chair.


“American Jewish voters are deeply distressed about the direction in which Donald Trump is taking the country and oppose many of his key policies. Indeed, a majority of Jewish voters disapprove of his job performance overall and disapprove of the way Trump is handling antisemitism,” says Mark Mellman, CEO of the Mellman Group.


(3) POLL RESULTS:


On the question of tariffs on goods imported from foreign countries, JEI’s poll finds that American Jews disapprove of the way President Trump is handling this controversial and quite current issue by a 77-16% margin, a factor of nearly 5-1. Also in the headlines is the president’s Executive Order allowing the federal government to deport individuals without a court hearing, an issue that 23% of American Jews support, while 71% oppose, the JEI poll finds.


Even fewer Jews, 12-77%, support cutting Medicaid to reduce government spending. Similarly, they oppose cuts to the Social Security Administration by 79-18% and cuts to the Department of Veterans Affairs by 79-16%, also a factor of nearly 5-1. 74-23% also oppose the dismantling of the Department of Education and 75-21% of American Jews oppose cuts to federal funding of Planned Parenthood, the JEI poll finds.


On the issue of supporting the president’s Executive Orders against specific law firms, the JEI poll reports only 15% support the order, while 71% oppose it. And 74% oppose the Executive Orders that cut federal agency budgets without Congressional approval, while 18% approve.


The one slightly bright finding for the president in the JEI poll is that American Jewish approval of his handling of antisemitism in America – 31% – is his highest approval rating of the survey across all demographics (except Orthodox Jews). Overall, 56% disapprove of his handling of antisemitism. Among younger Jews aged 18-29, nearly all of whom are either currently or were recently in college, where the fight against antisemitism has been a communal focus, 33% approve of his handling of the issue, nearly the same number as across all age groups.


Importantly, amongst Orthodox Jews, the JEI poll finds that they are the most strongly supportive American Jewish segment for President Trump, with over 71% saying they approve of the job he is doing as president and fewer than 20% saying they disapprove. They also generally support most of the president’s recent Executive Actions more than they oppose them. 65% of Orthodox voters identify as Republicans, 27% as Democrats, and 8% as Independents. 67% of Orthodox voters also say they voted for Donald Trump for President in 2024 while 21% voted for Kamala Harris. Many more crosstabs can be found here.


Statistically, 60% of all respondents consider themselves liberal, 13% moderate and 27% conservative. Approximately 70% said they think of themselves as a Democrat, 23% Republican, and 7% Independent. 10% consider themselves Orthodox, 19% Conservative (movement), 38% Reform, 2% Reconstructionist, and 31% of no particular Jewish denomination.


The JEI poll also finds only one-third of American Jews (33%) say they are a member of a synagogue or temple, while fully two-thirds (67%) say they are not. And in the 2024 presidential election, 69% of all American Jews say they voted for Kamala Harris and 26% said they voted for Donald Trump. Only 3% said they didn’t vote.


(4) ABOUT THE JEWISH ELECTORATE INSTITUTE (JEI):


JEI is an independent, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization that surveys, interprets, reports, and educates policymakers and the public about the perspectives, voting behaviors, and motivations of the American Jewish electorate. JEI undertakes all its work and reports its findings, without bias or favor concerning any political group or particular ideology. Through its polling, studies, seminars, focus groups, and educational programming, JEI is the leading non-partisan voice explaining the positions and voting behaviors of the American Jewish electorate.

Antisemitism is a warning sign. Are we listening?

By Eileen Filler-Corn • July 3, 2025
In the nearly two years since Hamas’s brutal Oct. 7 attack on Israel, American Jews have watched a disturbing rise in antisemitism take place across America — and crucially, among some of our longtime allies. For decades, Jewish Americans stood at the forefront of progressive causes, marching for civil rights, fighting for reproductive freedom and advocating for immigrants and the marginalized. My Jewish faith is what first drove me to public service. The Jewish concept of tikkun olam — our responsibility to repair the world — is not just a religious tenet but a moral call to action. It’s why we’ve always shown up to defend others. Yet now, as antisemitism surges to record levels, many progressive organizations and leaders who once stood with us have gone quiet; or worse, turned their backs entirely. It’s no longer just about Israeli policy. The line between anti-Zionism and antisemitism has been crossed so many times it’s barely a line at all. “Zionist” has become a stand-in for “Jew,” and the message is clear: Unless you disavow the world’s only Jewish state, your place in many progressive spaces is no longer welcome. The picture is sobering. There have been calls to ban “Zionists” from Pride events. Many women’s groups have shrugged at Hamas’ rape of Israeli women. And the Democratic nominee for mayor of America’s most populous city has a pattern of antisemitic rhetoric and has refused to condemn the hurtful call to “globalize the intifada,” a rallying cry that has been used to incite violence against Jews. This didn’t happen overnight, but the silence from many who claim to fight for justice has been deafening and deeply painful. I know what it feels like to be targeted for who you are. In January 2020, shortly after I became the first woman and the first Jewish Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, the FBI uncovered a plot to assassinate me. Two members of a neo-Nazi domestic terrorist group had targeted me. It was the most serious of many threats I received during my time as Speaker. Thankfully, law enforcement intervened in time. But the threat was real, and it reminded me that hatred knows no single party or ideology. We’ve long seen this kind of extremist hate on the right, but today that same danger is rising on both extremes of the ideological spectrum. Antisemitism spreads under different names but with the same devastating consequences. Now, with the recent war between Israel and Iran, we’re likely to see a fresh wave of anti-Zionism and antisemitism. It is already giving rise to a new round of dangerous conspiracy theories laced with antisemitic tropes: accusing American Jews of dual loyalty; suggesting we control foreign policy; and portraying Jewish political engagement as part of a shadowy cabal influencing Washington. This is a moment of moral testing. Will our leaders speak clearly and forcefully against antisemitism, even when it’s politically inconvenient? Will those who champion diversity and inclusion apply those values to Jews as well? And will we be honest about how bad actors have exploited division, stoked extremism and enabled those who traffic in hate? Just as many Americans oppose President Donald Trump’s leadership while still loving this country and believing in its promise, the same is true for Israel. You can criticize or reject Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government and still support Israel’s right to exist, to defend itself and to thrive as a Jewish and democratic state. That distinction matters. Criticizing a government is not the same as condemning a people; but when it comes to Israel, that line is too often deliberately blurred. We must be able to hold leaders accountable without fueling hatred or questioning a nation’s fundamental legitimacy. Antisemitism is not merely a problem faced by Jews — it is a bellwether for the health of our democracy. When a society tolerates hatred against one group, it gives license to hate others. When threats against public servants go unchallenged, violence becomes normalized. I was reminded of that tragic reality when my friend and former counterpart, former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman, was executed in her home along with her husband, Mark. Authorities say her killer was a politically motivated extremist who had compiled a list of Democratic lawmakers. Melissa was a principled leader and a friend. Her death was a heartbreaking loss and a flashing red warning sign for the tolerance of hate in our democracy. We cannot afford to treat this moment as normal. It is time for our allies to rejoin us. To speak up when we are threatened. To see antisemitism for what it is: a growing, dangerous force that must be confronted head-on. Because if we wait until it affects everyone, it will already be too late. Eileen Filler Corn is a JEI Board Member and Former Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, and the only ever Jewish speaker in VA
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Letter to House Judiciary Committee on Anti-Semitism

July 1, 2025
July 1, 2025 U.S. House Committee On The Judiciary 2142 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Now in our ninth year, the nationally and internationally recognized Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI), an independent, non-partisan, non-profit organization, continues to serve as the barometer for the Jewish electorate. We are therefore honored to submit the following Comments for the Record to the U.S. House of Representatives’ Judiciary Committee in support of its June 24, 2025, hearing on antisemitism - Rising Threat: America’s Battle Against Antisemitic Terror. This hearing, punctuated by the moving testimony of Matt Nosanchuk, reminded us that Jewish safety in America is not a political football - it is a national imperative. Nosanchuk, a former senior official in both the Obama and Biden Administrations and a lifelong advocate against antisemitism, laid bare the stark realities we face. The murder of Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky, who were attending a Jewish community event just blocks from his home, brought the crisis home - literally and painfully. It also underscored a chilling truth: this could have been any one of us. Antisemitism today does not discriminate based on geography, profession, or even political identity. Nosanchuk rightly challenged both ends of the political spectrum. From the right, we've seen rising indulgence of white nationalist rhetoric, normalization of Nazi imagery, and an embrace of conspiracy theorists. When antisemitism is tolerated—or worse, weaponized—by public officials and influential institutions, it emboldens violence and undermines the rule of law. The example of the pardoning of the person wearing a “Camp Auschwitz” shirt at the riot on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, was not just shocking to the Jewish community – it was symptomatic of a deeper, corrosive tolerance for hate. From the left, antisemitism also too often masquerades as political critique. When Jews are asked to renounce their ties to Israel to participate in coalitions, or when pro-Palestinian activism turns violent against Jews, with intimidating targeted rhetoric and violence, that’s not solidarity – it’s exclusion and scapegoating. Our Jewish identity should never be a precondition for political participation. What we need is not partisan grandstanding, but comprehensive action. That includes implementing the Biden Administration’s well-thought-out National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, restoring funding for civil rights enforcement at the Justice Department, and condemning hate, regardless of its ideological source. Nosanchuk’s call for education, prevention, and cross-community solidarity is exactly right. In closing, it’s our view at JEI that using antisemitism as cover for draconian immigration or university policies erodes the democratic institutions that have allowed Jewish life to flourish. Fighting hate must not become an excuse to violate civil liberties - ours or anyone else’s. Our safety as Jews has always been linked to the safety of others. In this perilous moment, we must demand more than soundbites. We must demand seriousness, solidarity, and above all, solutions. We are grateful to the Committee for having held this vital hearing at a perilous moment for American Jews. Sincerely, Barbara Goldberg Goldman Chairperson The Jewish Electorate Institute

JEI Statement on escalation and Support on Israel Security

June 18, 2025
Washington, DC — As hostilities between Israel and Iran intensify, the Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI), a nonpartisan political nonprofit, is calling on Congress to take all necessary measures to support Israel’s security, halt Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and help bring the hostages home.