The Trump administration's move to slap stiff tariffs on Chinese goods is supported by about two-thirds of Americans despite strong partisan differences on the issue.

But while they supported the gesture of standing up to China, they were less confident that it would work.

Overall, 62 percent of Americans agree with the sentiment that the tariffs are worth the risk to get better trade deals, according to a new poll by Luntz Global Partners. That includes 88 percent of Republicans but only 34 percent of Democrats.

"We’re seeing the very same coalition that got the president elected in 2016 lend their support to Trump’s tariffs,” said Alyssa Salvo, president of the polling company.

"Voters don’t buy the ‘fear-factor’ that jobs are at-risk, instead agreeing that Trump’s tariffs are both ‘necessary,’ and in the words of Senator Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, ‘long overdue,'" she said.

Nevertheless, 56 percent of Americans expected that the tariffs would have some negative effects, with 34 percent predicting "devastating" consequences and the remaining 22 percent expecting higher prices for some U.S. goods. Only 43 percent expected that the confrontation would result in better trade deals or boosts to U.S. industries and workers.

The partisan divide on the question was stark. While 27 percent of voters feared a trade war, 12 percent of Republicans did, compared with 59 percent of Democrats. About two-thirds of Republicans (65 percent) were confident that Trump's move ultimately will pay off while less than a quarter of all Democrats (23 percent) expected that.

Historically, Republicans have tended to be the stronger supporters of free trade, hitting a high of 57 percent during former President George W. Bush's administration. That dropped to a low of 41 percent during former President Barack Obama's administration, but improved to 50 percent by the end of his administration.

Democrats have been much more volatile in their opinion on trade. Their support hit a low of 34 percent during Bush's administration but soared to a high of 66 percent under Obama. Trump's criticism of trade appears to have helped to keep that in place.