Poll: Trump Approval Rating At Just 36 Percent After First Week
A new Quinnipiac University poll finds President Donald Trump is saddled with some of the lowest approval ratings of any recent president during his first days in office.
Researchers found just over one in three voters, or 36 percent of citizens, approve of job Trump did in his first full week in office, compared to 44 percent of respondents who all agree they disapprove of his early performance.
Trump’s early approval ratings falls far short of the support registered by his predecessor Barack Obama, who at the same time in first administration garnered an approval rating of 59 percent to 25 percent in the same poll.
Also, 52 percent of all respondents indicated they expect Trump’s time in office to be “not so good,” compared to 43 percent of voters who are convinced he will be a “good” or even “great” commander-in-chief.
Pollsters also found an overwhelming number of voters fear Trump is not level-headed, with 53 percent adding they are convinced he “does not care about the average American.”
Trump still benefits from the perception he is a strong and effective leader, with nearly half of all respondents (49 percent) agreeing that he has effective leadership skills.
Conducted between January 20 and 25, the Quinnipiac University poll surveyed 1,190 voters nationwide and had a margin of error of +/- 2.8 points.
Trump recently stirred fiery debate across the nation by using his executive powers to place a four-month hold on allowing refugees into the country. The order also prohibited travelers from several Muslim nations from entering the country, with Trump insisting his actions were all part of a plan to safeguard Americans against acts of terrorism.
A federal court judge in Brooklyn later blocked at least part of the order, which has sparked protests across the country including demonstrations at several international airports such as JFK, where more than 5,000 protesters convened.
On Sunday, Trump doubled down on his actions, tweeting, “Our country needs strong borders and extreme vetting, NOW. Look what is happening all over Europe and, indeed, the world – a horrible mess.”
The president made no mention of the chaos his actions has sparked, including the intense backlash the U.S. has faced from several countries considered to be allies.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose government has taken in large numbers of people fleeing civil war in their homelands, insisted the fight to eradicate terrorism is no excuse for the measures Trump has enacted.
“Terrorism knows no nationality. Discrimination is no response,” added French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault.
In all, the Department of Homeland Security estimated that roughly 375 travelers had been affected in the early hours of the ban, just under a third of them (109) who were in transit and were denied entry to into U.S. Another 173 were prohibited from boarding aircraft after arriving at the airport.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has gone on record in asserting his country is willing to accommodate those fleeing war and persecution in their own country that now stand to be turned away by the U.S.
Early Sunday, New York Civil Liberties Union officials reported they were hearing complaints from people still being detained at JFK, with administration members insisting that the court’s order does prohibit such actions.
“The Department of Homeland Security will continue to enforce all of the president’s Executive Orders in a manner that ensures the safety and security of the American people,” Homeland Security officials said in a statement. “The president’s Executive Order affects a minor portion of international travelers, and is a first step towards reestablishing control over America’s borders and national security.”
ACLU lead attorney Lee Gelernt said the organization took legal action because they are convinced the president’s actions are unlawful. Group officials said they expect the case to return before a judge sometime next month.
[Featured Image by Olivier Douliery-Pool/Getty Images]
