Minnesotans broadly oppose tariffs, and most say Canadian tariffs will hurt the state's economy

Minnesotans strongly disapprove of the tariffs the U.S. has imposed on countries around the world, and they're even more negative about the impact tariffs on Canadian goods will have on the state's economy, according to a Minnesota Community Survey of 1,072 adults conducted Jan. 22 to Feb. 12, 2026.

The survey was conducted shortly before the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a 6-3 decision that President Trump doesn’t have the authority to impose tariffs by executive order, a major blow to the legal basis for many of the tariffs imposed over the past year. President Trump quickly invoked a different law to impose new tariffs.

The snapshot

Six-in-ten Minnesotans (60%) disapprove of the tariffs the U.S. has placed on goods from other countries, while about a third (33%) approve.

Minnesotans are particularly concerned about the impact closer to home. Nearly two-thirds (62%) say tariffs on Canadian goods will hurt Minnesota's economy, while just 16% say they will help.

The backdrop

U.S. tariffs have had wide-ranging impacts on the state’s economy. Minnesota’s $10 billion soybean industry faces an uncertain future. Farm bankruptcies are up, and young farmers may not survive.

The Port of Duluth-Superior saw cargo volume drop to its lowest tonnage since 1938.

Canada is Minnesota's largest trading partner, and state exports were down 14% through the third quarter of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024.

Who thinks what

Tariff views split dramatically along partisan lines. Seven-in-ten Trump voters approve of tariffs, while 95% of Harris voters disapprove. Minnesotans who didn't vote in 2024 lean negative.

But Trump voters are divided when it comes to Minnesota specifically. About equal shares say Canadian tariffs will help (37%) and hurt (35%) the state's economy, with the rest saying they will have no impact or expressing uncertainty. Harris voters overwhelmingly say Canadian tariffs will hurt (91%).

Across the state

No region of Minnesota is more positive than negative on tariffs, though Greater Minnesota is more closely divided than the Twin Cities metro. The pattern holds on Canadian tariffs, with majorities in all three regions saying Canadian tariffs will hurt the state's economy.

What this tells us

The most striking finding here may be the gap between how Trump voters feel about tariffs in general and what they expect tariffs on Canada to mean for the state.

Seven-in-ten Trump voters approve of tariffs as a policy, but only 37% say tariffs on Canadian goods will help Minnesota's economy. That disconnect suggests the broad appeal of tariffs doesn't fully survive contact with Minnesota's deeply integrated economic relationship with its largest trading partner. It's a dynamic worth watching as the legal and economic landscape around tariffs continues to shift.