Most Americans who support President Trump also support maintaining the enhanced Obamacare plan subsidies that are at the center of the conflict over the current government shutdown, according to new polling data.
A survey by the health policy nonprofit KFF found that 59% of Republicans and 57% of MAGA supporters said they think Congress should extend the enhanced subsidies. Overall, 78% of respondents said the same, including 92% of Democrats and 82% of independents.
Separately, data compiled by KFF also shows that states Trump won in 2024 are home to 18.7 million of the 24.3 million Affordable Care Act enrollees, or 77%. States that went for Trump have received more in Affordable Care Act premium tax credits and have seen enrollment grow more since the more generous subsidies were introduced.
If the subsidies are extended, the poll found that most respondents said they would be very or somewhat concerned about the cost to the government. Overall, 63% said they would worry about the cost to some extent, including 49% of Democrats, 82% of Republicans and 61% of independents. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that a permanent extension of existing subsidies would cost $350 billion over 10 years.
If the subsidies are not extended, 76% of respondents said they would blame Trump and Republicans in Congress. Broken down by party affiliation, 98% of Democrats and 82% of independents said they would blame Trump and the Republicans, but that number drops to 40% for Republicans and just 29% for MAGA supporters. Most Republicans (61%) said they would blame Democrats for a failure to extend the subsidies.