Donald Trump has returned to the presidency with gusto. Within the torrent of executive orders he signed upon entering office was a push to end birthright citizenship, which triggered constitutional challenges from 22 states. Last week, the president issued, and then quickly reversed, a freeze on all federal grants, spurring legal debates about the constitutionality of the effort. Most recently, the Trump administration set its sights on shutting down the U.S. Agency for International Development, prompting fresh concerns about constitutional validity.
This raises a consequential question: Are Trump’s supporters so eager to see him get things done that they would support him overriding the Constitution? The answer is a resounding “no.” In a survey conducted by More in Common of 2,005 people in mid-January, a bipartisan consensus of people remains committed to seeing Trump operate within the bounds of the Constitution, even if that comes at the cost of his effectiveness.
Overall, 74% of people and 73% of Republicans say Trump “should always follow the Constitution, even if it means he can’t get things done.” By contrast, 15% of people and 17% of Republicans believe instead that Trump “should get things done, even if it means ignoring the Constitution.” (The remainder “don’t know.”)
Constitutional challenges aside, it’s undeniable that Trump’s opening volley of executive orders immediately spurred his agenda into action. While this has caused no small amount of panic and stress, it may bring about a break from the lethargic, hopeless mood that has characterized the country of late.
In the days prior to Trump’s inauguration, people tended to express cool emotions toward the country. Republicans were much more likely to say that they were “hopeful” or “disappointed” than they were to express that they were “excited” or “proud.” Democrats were muted, conveying that they were “disappointed” and “anxious,” but few said they were “angry.” This past week may have helped set a new tone.
But where Republicans and Democrats appear entirely aligned is on the big picture of America’s polarization. Among two dozen descriptors, the most commonly selected word to describe our country today among Democrats, Republicans, and independents alike was “divided.” This emphasis on our divisions is reflected in our hopes, too. When asked to imagine “10 years into the future,” the quality that people most chose to define their “ideal American society” is to be “united.”
What is striking about people’s desire to be united is how poorly it is recognized. We asked Democrats and Republicans to estimate what the other side most wanted in their ideal future. Each consistently underestimated the degree to which being united was among their priorities. Rather than correctly perceiving unity as the top priority, each party interprets the other as favoring its ideological goals.
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Trump, however, appears to recognize the centrality of our goal to overcome our divisions. From his Republican primary victory speech in Iowa last January to his presidential victory in November, he has emphasized the need for the country to come together and overcome its divisions. In his most recent inaugural address, Trump offered that his “proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifier.” He underscored the point: “That’s what I want to be. A peacemaker and a unifier.”
While Trump remains a harshly divisive character, he has the capacity to transform himself into a unifier. His favorability has steadily risen over the past year, and he enters office with a broader coalition of intergenerational and multiracial support than any modern Republican president. Whether he can ultimately serve a unifying role for the nation will hinge upon the choices he makes in the months and years to come. Unwinding our divisions should begin with honoring the bipartisan call for him to honor the limits of the Constitution.
Stephen Hawkins is the global director of research at More in Common.