EXCLUSIVE: Trump's crackdown on illicit vapes wins broad backing, poll reveals
A new poll obtained exclusively by the Washington Reporter shows that the Trump administration's crackdown is broadly popular. Here are the details.
The Trump administration’s Department of Justice (DOJ), in coordination with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other federal partners, recently launched a sweeping series of raids targeting manufacturers, distributors, and retailers peddling illegal vaping products smuggled from China.
Now, a poll from Meeting Street Insights, obtained exclusively by the Washington Reporter, reveals overwhelming voter support for President Donald Trump’s aggressive stance against illicit vapes. The survey found that 73 percent of voters back continued enforcement against smoke shops and distributors, including 80 percent of Republicans. Majorities emerged across every demographic, with peak enthusiasm from Republicans (80 percent), men aged 65 and older (88 percent), women in the same bracket (86 percent), and rural voters (80 percent).
This shows a rare bipartisan consensus on protecting children from illicit Chinese vapes.
The poll follows action from Attorney General Pam Bondi and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy who oversaw a high-profile raid in the Chicago suburbs, where agents confiscated 600,000 units from a single warehouse stocked with flavored e-cigarettes.
A Senate source told the Reporter that “for four years, President Autopen stood by while China flooded our streets with poisonous illegal vapes aimed at getting our kids addicted. It’s been a reverse opium war. Cracking down on these vapes is good for families, it’s good politics, and it’s good for everyone.”
The deeply-respected and influential Senate Republican Conference (SRC) echoed this sentiment, hailing Trump’s initiative, saying “Senate Republicans support the Trump Administration’s great work in protecting Americans from illegal vapes from China.”
A source close to the White House reinforced this message: “President Trump, AG Bondi, and Secretary Kennedy should continue to enforce the law against illicit vapes coming into U.S. communities. It is clearly not only the right thing to do, but popular with voters.”
For Republicans, the poll offers a blueprint for 2026: be tough on China, be tough on crime, and focus on protecting kids. Sources tell the Reporter to expect more action against illicit vapes.