Trump is the least popular newly-elected president in decades, approval rating poll finds
Poll numbers suggest that Donald Trump is supported by very few. (Getty)
Donald Trump is the least popular newly-elected president since the Second World War, according to a recent approval rating poll.
Trump has started his second term by signing a wide range of executive orders that implement controversial policies, including renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America” and introducing harsh immigration crackdowns.
He has signed anti-trans orders restricting trans healthcare options for under 19-year-olds, declaring trans military personnel “unfit” for service as well as one that proclaims that there are “only two sexes” – male and female.
His “obsession” with implementing “culture war” policies has resulted in LGBTQ+ advocacy organisation GLAAD warning that they will “come at a cost for every American”.
Despite proudly professing that he has fulfilled the will of the people by defeating so-called “wokeness”, Americans don’t appear to be too impressed with Donald Trump.
Poll aggregator FiveThirtyEight has reported that Trump’s initial approval rating is +7 percentage points – lower than any newly elected president since the Second World War. However, in 2017, Trump experienced an even lower early approval rating of +3.2 percentage points.
In short, the only president with a lower initial approval poll rating than Trump is… himself.
His first term saw his approval rating reach a high of 49, but he left the White House with an approval rating of 34.
In 2021, his predecessor Joe Biden had an approval rating of +21.8, while Barack Obama had an impressive +46.9 in 2009.
In his election in 1960, John F Kennedy’s approval rating sat at 66+, while later in 1992, Bill Clinton held a score of +34.1.
Voters ‘concerned about more important issues’
As reported by the Telegraph, Kyle Kondik, an analyst with the University of Virginia Center for Politics, said: “While it does seem Trump is getting a honeymoon to some extent, his numbers are still not impressive by historical standards.”
Kondik added that the poll shows many of his early directives in the White House haven’t been liked by his base of supporters, with the survey finding voters mostly remain concerned about the price of food, housing and other necessities.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll, which was conducted online from 24 January to 26 and surveyed 1,034 adults nationwide, found that the majority of Americans – 89% of Democrats and 36% of Republicans – were against Trump’s deeply controversial executive order to end birthright citizenship: the automatic American citizenship that is granted to anyone born in the country.
Trump’s order to end birthright citizenship was blocked by a federal judge in Seattle, but the White House has vowed to fight this.
The survey also revealed that 70% of respondents opposed his plan to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America.”
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