According to a poll by the New York Times and Siena College, conducted from April 21 to 24, Donald Trump's approval rating stands at 42%. This is a historically low figure for a president at such an early stage, but it aligns with his unpopularity, the publication reports. Voters believe that President Trump is overstepping by making aggressive efforts to expand executive power and have deep doubts about some of his policy documents. The poll results show that the honeymoon of Trump's second term is over: his approval rating among key independent voters is 29%. Voters said he has "gone too far" on every issue—tariffs, immigration measures, reduction of the federal workforce. A significant number of independent voters sided with the Democrats, believing he has overstepped.
About half of the voters and approximately 60% of independent respondents said they disapprove of Trump's actions in the areas of trade with other countries, the federal workforce, the war between Russia and Ukraine, and the case of Kilmara Armando Abrego Garcia, a migrant from Maryland who was mistakenly deported to a prison in El Salvador.
54% stated that Trump "exceeded his powers," including 16% of Republicans and 62% of independent voters. Thus, 61% of respondents, including 33% of Republicans, said that the president should not have the right to impose tariffs without Congress's permission. 54%, including 26% of Republicans, believe that the president should not have the right to cancel programs adopted by Congress.
63% of voters, including 40% of Republicans, said that the president should not have the right to deport legal immigrants protesting against Israel. 73% of respondents, including 56% of Republicans, believe that the president should not have the right to send American citizens to prison in El Salvador, as Trump threatened to do.
And since the Trump administration has moved to openly ignoring court decisions, 76% of voters and 61% of Republicans said that the president should not have the right to ignore the Supreme Court.
Only 43% said they approve of how he is handling the economy in his first hundred days, which is a significant decline in an area long considered his strong suit. 55% of voters, including 63% of independents, opposed the president's introduction of widespread tariffs, which caused declines and fluctuations in the stock market.
50% of respondents called the changes he brought to the country's political and economic systems "bad." Only 36% described them as good.
As NYT writes, the poll showed that Democrats are beginning a long march to next year's midterm elections with a glimmer of hope. Among all voters, 47% said they would prefer to vote for a Democrat in the House of Representatives, compared to 44% for a Republican candidate.
Photo: EPA