President Donald Trump likes to set records but his low inaugural approval rating might be one record Trump will want to forget.
According to a new Gallup survey, Trump is beginning his term in office as the first modern president to receive an initial job approval rating below 50 percent.
Gallup’s survey found that 45 percent of Americans approve of the way he is handling the presidency compared to 45 percent who disapprove. Another 10 percent of Americans did not have an opinion.
“Trump now holds the record for the lowest initial job approval rating as well as the highest initial disapproval rating in Gallup surveys dating back to Dwight D. Eisenhower,” Gallup explained.
Ronald Reagan also began his presidency with a comparatively low approval rating of 51 percent in January 1981. As did George H. W. Bush, whose approval rating when he took office in January 1989 was also 51 percent. To be sure both Reagan and Bush had lower disapproval ratings than Trump, 13 percent and six percent, respectively.
By way of comparison, Bill Clinton came into office with a 58 percent approval rating and a 20 percent disapproval rating. Fifty-Seven percent of Americans approved of George W. Bush while 25 percent disapproved. Barack Obama boasted the highest approval rating of the group with 68 percent approving and 12 percent disapproving when he took office in January 2009.
Trump received his best marks from Republicans, 90 percent of whom said they approve of the job he is doing. Just 6 percent of Republicans disapproved. Democrats had he exact opposite sentiments with just 14 percent approving and 81 percent disapproving. Independents were split with 40 percent approving and 44 percent disapproving.
“Of particular interest given the women’s marches on Saturday, women tilt against Trump, although not heavily,” Gallup reported. “Just under half, 49%, disapproved while 42% approved. Attitudes are reversed among men, with 48% approving and 41% disapproving.”
While Trump’s beginning approval rating is low, it is only slightly lower than Obama’s average 47.9 percent approval rating during his eight years in office.
Gallup’s survey of 1,525 adults in the U.S. was conducted Jan. 20-22, 2017 and has a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points.
