As we approach Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office, recent polls indicate that his approval ratings have plummeted to record lows. More and more Americans are saying, “Not so fast.” They question his broad strokes to fundamentally change the face of the government. His approval rating, especially among Democrats, has fallen off a cliff. It has left him at the bottom of the barrel for any incoming president for this time period in more than seventy years.
According to recent surveys, Trump’s approval rating generally hovers around 39%— at the optimistic extreme— to 45%. This is especially true among independent voters, the majority of whom—58%—disapprove of how he has handled the presidency. What these polls show is a stark political divide. Not surprisingly, most Republicans are still with Trump—in fact they’re even more supportive now—while at least two-thirds of Democrats still strongly disapprove of his presidency.
Importantly, not 52% of U.S. adults say they have confidence in Trump to deal with the economy right now. This last figure is the most alarming, showing a 13-point decline since December. It’s an indicator that the public’s confidence in his economic policies is fading. During his campaign immigration was a big concern. Now, only 45% of Americans like what he’s doing to solve the problem—a huge slide from his 60% approval just a few months ago. This realignment suggests that voters are tiring of Trump’s approach to immigration and growing dissatisfied with the president’s control over the issue.
These downward approval ratings are symptomatic of the deeper worries over the President’s erratic leadership style and decision-making processes. Countless Americans are growing concerned about his heavy-handed tactics to move his agenda forward. That leads to even more important questions, with profound implications for the long-term future of our country.
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