Work

Who is Googling Trump’s tariffs—And why that matters

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This study investigates U.S. public concern over tariffs during the initial three months of Donald Trump’s second term. By analyzing state-level Google search frequency for the topic ‘tariff’, it explores whether tariff-related anxiety was uniformly distributed across states or influenced by political affiliation. The data reveal widespread political polarization: states that supported Kamala Harris exhibited significantly higher search intensity compared to states that supported Trump. These findings suggest that voters in Harris-leaning states were more alarmed by the potential economic consequences of Trump’s trade policies, highlighting both the politicization of trade policy and its varying resonance across the political spectrum.

Source: Economics Letters

DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2025.112513

Authors: Michael Donadelli, Luca Gerotto

Institutions: University of Brescia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore

Language: English

Topic: Electoral Systems and Political Participation

Subfield: Political Science and International Relations

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,030