Trump says tariffs are a "beautiful thing," but some Americans aren't buying it

A majority of Americans believe President Trump's on-again, off-again sweeping tariffs will raise prices, at least in the short term, according to new polls conducted after the president's "Liberation Day" announcements.The big picture: Trump has paused many of his steepest levies, but the global economy took a historic blow. And while the White House says Trump's dizzying trade policy has been a masterclass in negotiation, polling suggests many Americans aren't enjoying the lesson.Baseline 10% levies remain in place, on top of steep tariffs on Chinese goods.The White House did not immediately respond Sunday to Axios' request for comment.Driving the news: 75% of Americans said in a new CBS News/YouGov poll of 2,410 U.S. adults that Trump's new tariffs would increase prices in the short term.In the long term, 48% said prices would be higher, compared to 22% who said there would be no impact or they were unsure and 30% who predicted prices would fall.More Americans (49%) in the poll, taken April 8 to 11, said that Trump's policies were making them financially worse off than they did in March (42%).Zoom out: A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll of 1,027 adults similarly found that most Americans believe prices will increase on electronics and phones (77%), automobiles (73%), everyday items (73%) and other goods over the next six months.Republicans, the survey found, were less likely than Democrats or independents to say prices would increase.But Republicans are more likely than Democrats and independents to say that short-term economic pain is worth it to make the U.S. stronger in the long term, a sentiment 49% of Americans in the poll shared.One stunning stat: The poll also revealed a broad misunderstanding of how tariffs, work: Overall, only 32% of Americans correctly answered that the statement "[t]ariffs are taxes paid by the country exporting goods" is false.And a Quinnipiac University national poll of 1,407 self-identified registered voters found that in the short term, 72% of voters think the tariffs will hurt the U.S. economy, while 22% think the tariffs will help the country's economy. In the long term, 53% of voters think the tariffs will hurt the U.S. economy, while 41% say they'll help.On Trump's handling of trade, 55% of voters disapproved, according to the poll. That's up from 49% in February, according to Quinnipiac. Zoom out: Trump's tariffs even received backlash from typically loyal corners of conservative media and some congressional Republicans as the stock market spiraled. Wall Street titans, including some of Trump's wealthy allies, split with the president on tariffs ahead of his partial pause, cautioning the risks of self-induced disruption on the global stage.Five polls conducted after Liberation Day showed a significant dip in Trump's approval rating, Axios' Zachary Basu reported.Go deeper: Trump's unknowable tariffs leave investors hanging

A majority of Americans believe President Trump's on-again, off-again sweeping tariffs will raise prices, at least in the short term, according to new polls conducted after the president's "Liberation Day" announcements.The big picture: Trump has paused many of his steepest levies, but the global economy took a historic blow. And while the White House says Trump's dizzying trade policy has been a masterclass in negotiation, polling suggests many Americans aren't enjoying the lesson.

Baseline 10% levies remain in place, on top of steep tariffs on Chinese goods.The White House did not immediately respond Sunday to Axios' request for comment.Driving the news: 75% of Americans said in a new CBS News/YouGov poll of 2,410 U.

S. adults that Trump's new tariffs would increase prices in the short term.In the long term, 48% said prices would be higher, compared to 22% who said there would be no impact or they were unsure and 30% who predicted prices would fall.

More Americans (49%) in the poll, taken April 8 to 11, said that Trump's policies were making them financially worse off than they did in March (42%).Zoom out: A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll of 1,027 adults similarly found that most Americans believe prices will increase on electronics and phones (77%), automobiles (73%), everyday items (73%) and other goods over the next six months.Republicans, the survey found, were less likely than Democrats or independents to say prices would increase.

But Republicans are more likely than Democrats and independents to say that short-term economic pain is worth it to make the U.S. stronger in the long term, a sentiment 49% of Americans in the poll shared.

One stunning stat: The poll also revealed a broad misunderstanding of how tariffs, work: Overall, only 32% of Americans correctly answered that the statement "[t]ariffs are taxes paid by the country exporting goods" is false.And a Quinnipiac University national poll of 1,407 self-identified registered voters found that in the short term, 72% of voters think the tariffs will hurt the U.S.

economy, while 22% think the tariffs will help the country's economy. In the long term, 53% of voters think the tariffs will hurt the U.S.

economy, while 41% say they'll help.On Trump's handling of trade, 55% of voters disapproved, according to the poll. That's up from 49% in February, according to Quinnipiac.

Zoom out: Trump's tariffs even received backlash from typically loyal corners of conservative media and some congressional Republicans as the stock market spiraled. Wall Street titans, including some of Trump's wealthy allies, split with the president on tariffs ahead of his partial pause, cautioning the risks of self-induced disruption on the global stage.Five polls conducted after Liberation Day showed a significant dip in Trump's approval rating, Axios' Zachary Basu reported.

Go deeper: Trump's unknowable tariffs leave investors hanging.