Support for Free Trade Drops

Support for trade has dropped dramatically since 2012.  According to ISCAP’s panel of over 1200 respondents interviewed in both October 2012 and October 2016, all questions addressing trade have experienced significant declines in support, and these opinions changes figured prominently in rising Trump support. However, there is one important exception: Americans are no more likely than in 2012 to say they have personally been negatively affected by trade. This evidence contradicts the dominant narrative that has been provided to explain the 2016 election outcome.