When asked what the worst thing is about Republicans, the most common response among Americans is President Donald Trump or loyalty to him, while the most common response about Democrats is that they are weak and don\u2019t stand up against Trump or for what\u2019s right, according to an ABC News\/Washington Post\/Ipsos poll conducted using Ipsos\u2019 KnowledgePanel<\/u><\/a> conducted April 24 through 28.<\/p>\n In the poll, Americans were asked what they disliked most about both the Democratic and Republican parties in an open-ended question. For each party, only one single response broke double-digits: 10% of Americans said that the worst thing about Democrats was that they were weak and did not stand up to Trump or stand up for what was right.\u00a0<\/p>\n President Donald Trump delivers remarks during a Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, May 25, 2026 in Arlington, Virginia.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Kent Nishimura\/AFP via Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Combining two categories about Democrats: that they were too liberal, criticizing their policies or calling them \u201ctoo woke\u201d added to 12%.<\/p>\n And 12% of Americans said the worst thing about Republicans was their loyalty to Trump or just named Trump himself.\u00a0<\/p>\n All other responses were 7% or lower.<\/p>\n Americans said Democrats were too liberal (6%), were against their policy positions or said they were \u201ctoo woke\u201d (6%), said they were corrupt, self-serving or favoring the powerful (5%), or mentioned a general dislike of them (5%) \u2013 or mentioned pro-Democratic views, despite being asked to provide a negative opinion (5%).<\/p>\n Others mentioned an opposition to Democrats\u2019 views on immigration and the border (4%), that they were out of touch with everyday Americans (4%) or that they were obsessed with being against Trump (4%). Other responses were 3% or less.<\/p>\n Some Americans said they had nothing negative to say about the Republican Party (7%), while others highlighted perceptions of dishonesty, hypocrisy and immorality (6%), a lack of concern for others and cruelty (6%) along with corruption and self-enrichment (5%).\u00a0<\/p>\n Others said Republican leaders were ineffective or unqualified (4%), that Republicans needed to support Trump more and stand up to Democrats (4%), that Republicans were authoritarian, had a disregard of the rule of law or were anti-Democratic (4%), that Republicans were hostile or bullying (4%) or racist or anti-diversity (4%). All other responses were 3% or less.\u00a0<\/p>\n What partisans say about Democrats<\/strong><\/p>\n Republicans\u2019 main criticisms of Democrats were a general dislike of the opposing party (11%), that they were too liberal or socialist (11%) or opposition to their policies or calling them too woke (10%). Others voiced concern over a perception of Democrats having a loose immigration and border stance (9%), an anti-Trump obsession (8%), calling them corrupt, self-serving or favoring the powerful (8%). Another 6% said they were morally wrong, evil, violent or ignorant, 6% said that Democrats meant higher taxes and excess spending, 5% said Democrats were dishonest while another 5% said they were anti-American or unpatriotic.<\/p>\n \u201cDEI, Trump derangement syndrome, democratic socialism,\u201d said a 76-year-old Republican man from West Virginia.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThey are evil people,\u201d said a 78-year-old Republican woman from South Carolina. \u201cI would never vote for a Democrat.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cEverything… absolutely everything about them and their views,\u201d said a 34-year-old Republican man from New Jersey. \u201cTrump could cure all cancer and they’d find a way to hate him for it.\u00a0 Democrats are just a bunch of Communists and Socialists in disguise.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThey’re too woke!!\u201d said a 19-year-old Republican man from North Carolina. \u201cThey seem to not care about or love our country.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Democrats were most likely to criticize their own party for not standing up to Trump or for what is right (24%) with another 10% saying they had nothing negative to say about their party and 5% mentioning that their party leadership was bad or old. Another 4% said they had unkept promises or flip-flopped and 4% voiced concerns about internal division and disunity.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t stand up to Trump enough,\u201d said a 38-year-old Democratic woman from Indiana.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThey are too weak and unwilling to seriously stand up to the administration,\u201d said a 30-year-old Democratic man from Virginia.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI dislike that the Democratic Party always takes the high road, and does not fight dirty like the Republican Party does,\u201d said a 50-year-old Democratic woman from Texas.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Independents were most likely to criticize Democrats for not standing up to Trump or what\u2019s right (9%), opposing certain policies or calling them too woke (6%), saying they were out of touch (5%) or corrupt and self-serving (5%).<\/p>\n \u201cThe forceful use to push their extreme gender agenda when they have power, and their dislike for individual second amendment rights,\u201d said a 36-year-old independent man from Washington.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cTheir failure to speak out more strongly & take immediate action against the current administration,\u201d said a 65-year-old independent woman from Wisconsin.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cGone too far to the left, they are more in line with the communist and socialist parties,\u201d said a 59-year-old independent woman from New York. \u201c[They] believe in giving handouts to appease voters rather than helping them find job opportunities.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cObsession with trivial issues not relevant to the general public, lack of fiscal accountability, willingness to tolerate civic disorder and crime,\u201d said a 67-year-old independent woman from California.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n What partisans say about Republicans<\/strong><\/p>\n Democrats were most likely to say that Republicans were too loyal to Trump (25%), while another 10% said Republicans have no concern for ordinary people or are cruel, 9% mentioned authoritarianism, disregard for rule of law or anti-democratic actions and 8% mentioned racist or anti-diversity politics. Another 7% mentioned corruption and self-enrichment while 6% simply said everything.<\/p>\n \u201cThe blind allegiance to Trump no matter his actions,\u201d said a 42-year-old Democratic woman from Montana.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cTheir hateful beliefs, their leaders, the way they handle situations, the manipulations they believe themselves [that] they are making America great but are actually ruining it,\u201d said a 28-year-old Democratic woman from California.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cHow cruel they are,\u201d said a 33-year-old Democratic man from Florida.<\/em><\/p>\n When asked about their own party, 15% of Republicans offered no criticism and 11% mentioned that they needed to support Trump and stand up to Democrats more. Another 7% mentioned a lack of unity and cohesive messaging and 5% said they most disliked Trump or the party\u2019s loyalty to Trump.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s nothing I don\u2019t like!\u201d said a 72-year-old Republican man from Indiana. \u201cI LOVE everything about the Republican Party!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cNothing,\u201d said a 64-year-old Republican woman from New York. \u201cThey are smart and think logically.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThat we don’t stand up enough to the Democratic Party,\u201d said a 58-year-old Republican woman from California.<\/em><\/p>\n Independents said the worst thing about Republicans was their loyalty to Trump (10%), perceptions of corruption and self-enrichment (8%), dishonesty, hypocrisy or immorality (7%), a lack of concern for ordinary people or cruelty (6%), and ineffective and weak or unqualified leadership (5%).<\/p>\n \u201cCompletely corrupt and brainwashed into the cult of Trump. Making the country far less safe domestically and abroad,\u201d said a 48-year-old independent man from Texas. \u201cThey are involved in horrible racism and nativism.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThe Republican Party has been hijacked by Donald Trump,\u201d said a 67-year-old independent man from Georgia. \u201cProject 2025 is a plan that is clearly racist, homophobic, misogynistic, and unpopular among the majority of Americans.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThere are no redeeming qualities,\u201d said a 35-year old independent woman from Ohio. \u201cCorrupt, predatory, manipulative, have historically tanked the economy each time they are in office, stifle scientific progress, enforce racist and sexist policies, and fail to maintain separation of church and state. Also actively supported the rise of fascism.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Methodology <\/strong>\u2013 This ABC News\/Washington Post\/Ipsos poll was conducted among 1,267 U.S. adults overall and has an error margin of +\/- 2.8 percentage points. Error margins are larger among subgroups.\u00a0<\/p>\n This analysis was aided by the use of BTInsights, an AI open-end coding software that sorts responses into similar categories. Each coded response was reviewed by multiple human coders to ensure it was accurately categorized and then, if necessary, recategorized. Category names were also edited after a review of codes within each group.\u00a0<\/p>\n Quotes from survey respondents have been lightly edited for grammar and clarity.<\/p>\n See PDF for full results and detailed methodology.<\/a><\/p>\n ABC News\u2019 Liz Schreier contributed to this report.<\/em><\/p>\n Email <\/em>ABCNEWS.Polls@abc.com<\/em><\/u> to be added to ABC News\u2019 polling distribution list.<\/em><\/p>\n More ABC News polls can be found at abcnews.com. Media contacts: <\/em>Jeannie Kedas<\/em><\/u><\/a> and <\/em>Van Scott<\/em><\/u>.<\/em><\/p>\n Previous releases from this poll:<\/em><\/p>\n Americans oppose Trump ballroom 2-to-1; even more oppose his signature on money: ABC News\/Washington Post\/Ipsos poll<\/em><\/u><\/a><\/p>\n Americans are increasingly bleak about their own finances, most say using the US military against Iran was a mistake: ABC News\/Washington Post\/Ipsos poll<\/em><\/u><\/a><\/p>\n Two-thirds of Americans say country is headed in the wrong direction: ABC News\/Washington Post\/Ipsos poll<\/em><\/u><\/a><\/p>\n![\"America\"](\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/1f332b8d-c5b6-4c05-84bb-493a3decefcc\/donald-trump-27-gty-gmh-260525_1779731300628_hpMain.jpg?w=375 "\\"America\\"")
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