Donald Trump’s public approval rating has fallen to its lowest point since his return to the White House, reflecting growing concerns among Americans about his efforts to consolidate power. According to a recent Ipsos poll, only 42% of respondents approved of his performance as president, a slight decrease from 43% three weeks earlier. This marks a significant decline from the 47% approval he enjoyed upon his inauguration in January, highlighting the deepening political divide in the United States.
While Trump’s approval remains higher than that of his Democratic predecessor for much of his presidency, the poll results indicate increasing disapproval across several key issues. From inflation and immigration to taxation and rule of law, more Americans now express dissatisfaction with his policies than those who approve.
On foreign policy, 59% of those surveyed, including a third of Republicans, feel that the United States is losing credibility on the global stage. Trump’s approval for his handling of immigration, a traditional strong point, stands at 45%, with 46% disapproving.
Despite this, Trump’s influence continues to grow, with many questioning his actions, particularly his attempts to expand his control over government agencies and private institutions. Trump has signed numerous executive orders aiming to exert influence, including efforts to punish universities he deems too liberal and his controversial move to install himself as the chair of the Kennedy Center, a major cultural institution in Washington, D.C.
In an interesting development, the poll revealed that 75% of respondents believe Trump should not pursue a third term, a position Trump has suggested he may seek despite constitutional limitations. Even 54% of Republicans are opposed to such a move.
Concerns over Trump’s approach to the rule of law have also surfaced. A substantial majority of respondents, 83%, believe that the president must abide by federal court rulings, even if he disagrees with them. Further, 57% of participants, including one-third of Republicans, oppose the idea of a president withholding funding from universities based on personal disagreements with their management.
The poll, conducted on behalf of Reuters, surveyed 4,306 respondents and carries a margin of error of approximately 2 percentage points.
Source: [Reuters]
