News
Joe Vesey-Byrne
Feb 04, 2017
Ron Sachs/Pool/Getty Images
According to a poll by CNN/ORC, President Trump's approval ratings are some of the lowest in modern history for a new president.
The nationwide poll conducted 31 January - 2 February recorded a 44 per cent approval rating for president Trump.
52 per cent of respondents said they disapproved of the way he is handling his job as president.
Comparatively, this is super low and does not look good for the new commander in chief.
Archived Gallup polls show the President Reagan had 51 per cent in his first few weeks in office, but only 13 per cent of respondents disapproved of him, compared to Trump’s high 43 per cent.
Below shows the initial approval and disapproval ratings for Trump and the last five occupants of the Oval Office.
Of note is the high level of support for president Obama, who as president-elect secured an 84 per cent approval rating in the weeks ahead of his inauguration.
Quite a sizable cushion upon entering office.
Moreover, these less than yeasty numbers for president Trump are not necessarily of public reaction to the president's actions since he entered office.
For instance polling by Gallup between 30-31 January found majorities in support of the president's policies on Mexico, the 'travel ban', and suspending the US' Syrian refugee program.
In fact, one explanation for president Trump's low approval rating, is simply that he came into office with low numbers.
President Trump was elected with 45.9 per cent of the popular vote, taking 304 electoral votes.
His opponent Hillary Clinton secured just 227 electoral votes, but 48.0 per cent of the popular vote.
This low starting point is one cause for his low numbers, yet the president’s actions have not tangibly increased that support either.
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