Report: Americans Agree - Russia is Responsible for the War

The March 2025 Daily Kos/Civiqs Poll asked 1,031 registered voters in the United States about their opinions of President Trump, Elon Musk and DOGE, federal government funding priorities, and the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Russia and Ukraine

Americans across the political spectrum agree that Russia is more responsible for starting the war with Ukraine. Three-quarters (76%) of voters think Russia is responsible for starting the conflict, including 95% of Democrats, 69% of Independents, and 62% of Republicans. Just 7% of Americans think Ukraine is more responsible, while another 13% think both countries are equally responsible. 

This conflicts with President Trump’s statement that Ukraine started the war with Russia. In Civiqs daily tracking surveys, 71% of Americans see Russia as a foe of America, versus just 12% who consider Russia to be a U.S. ally.

A substantial majority of voters (62%) also think that Ukraine winning the war is either very important for the security of the United States (49%) or would be better for U.S. national security (13%). Democrats feel most strongly, with 82% who think it is very important for Ukraine to win, but more than half of Independents agree: 54% think it is either very important or better for Ukraine to win.

Despite President Trump’s recent foreign policy pivot towards Russia, only 5% of Republicans think that it is better for U.S. security for Russia to win the war; 39% of Republicans say that it makes no difference who wins. There is stronger support for Ukraine, with 40% of Republicans who believe it is better for Ukraine to win.

President Trump

President Trump’s job approval rating is underwater at 52% disapprove and 48% approve. Fully 49% strongly disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling his job as president, while 42% strongly approve. Nearly all Republicans approve of President Trump’s job performance, with 82% who strongly approve and 10% who somewhat approve.

Americans are divided over the issue of presidential impoundment. A majority of voters (51%) say that the president should not be able to refuse to spend money that Congress has appropriated. This is a highly partisan issue, with 87% of Democrats who think the president should not be able to do this and 70% of Republicans who believe he should.

Americans are more unified about whether or not President Trump should be allowed to run for a third term: 78% oppose the idea, while just 14% support it. Opposition to a third term run for Trump includes 98% of Democrats, 81% of Independents, and even a majority (54%) of Republicans.

A bill passed by House Republicans last week included both extending tax cuts that were passed during the first Trump administration, and the potential for major cuts to programs that help low-income Americans, such as Medicaid and SNAP. Opinions are split on extending the Trump tax cuts, with 48% of voters in support and 46% opposed. 

In contrast, Americans are broadly against reductions to funding for programs that help low-income Americans, such as Medicaid and SNAP: 63% oppose making cuts to these programs, including 50% who strongly oppose it.

Elon Musk and DOGE

Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are making news for cutting government spending and firing federal workers. Americans have been paying attention: 83% have heard a lot about DOGE, while another 15% have heard some news about it.

A majority of voters (53%) disapprove of the way Elon Musk is handling his job as senior advisor to the president, including 50% who strongly disapprove. A similar number of voters (52%) believe that Musk has too much influence in the United States government. These results are consistent with Musk’s favorability rating in Civiqs daily tracking surveys, which have shown 52% to 54% of Americans with an unfavorable opinion of him since December 2024. 

President Trump, Elon Musk, and DOGE have targeted specific agencies and types of funding for reduction or elimination. Americans vary in their level of support for these cuts:

• Eliminating USAID: 50% support, 48% oppose
• Eliminating the Department of Education: 46% support, 51% oppose
• Reducing funding for colleges and universities: 45% support, 50% oppose
• Reducing funding for medical research: 31% support, 61% oppose

In general, Americans are divided about DOGE firing large numbers of federal workers and reducing funding to multiple federal agencies. About half of Americans think what the DOGE is doing is bad for the United States, while just under half think they are doing something good for the nation.

Civiqs surveyed 1,031 registered voters in the United States from February 28 - March 3, 2025. The survey was conducted online, among selected members of the Civiqs research panel. Sampled individuals were emailed by Civiqs and responded using a personalized link to the survey at civiqs.com. The survey results are weighted by age, race, gender, education, party identification, and region to be representative of the population of registered voters in the United States. The general design effect due to weighting is 1.11. The survey has a margin of error of ±3.2% at the 95% confidence level, accounting for the design effect.