Trump Approval Rating Slides Again, As Does Republican And Base Support


Trump’s approval rating has slid again to one of its lowest numbers. In a new Reuters poll released this week, the Trump approval rating was 35 percent, with 59 percent of the poll respondents saying they disapprove of what Trump is doing. The numbers come in a week of news that has not shed the White House and the Trump Administration in a good light after Trump banned transgender individuals from serving in the military.

The numbers are also a reflection that Trump is losing support from Republicans. This week much evidence has come forward showing that even with a majority of his own party in Congress, Trump is unable to accomplish much from a legislative standpoint.

But worse for Trump, Republicans in Congress are putting their dwindling support on the record. Senator Susan Collins of Maine is one of the handful of Republicans that has been loud in her dissent of the president’s health care plan, and she voted against him twice this week.

She’s also gone on record to strongly caution Trump against doing anything drastic in the Trump Russia investigation, telling him to “step back,” reports CBS News. Senator Collins was also caught on a hot mic this week expressing concerns over Trump’s mental health in a conversation with Democratic Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island.

Republican voters that voted for Trump are also putting their concerns on the record via one of his favored communication channels, Twitter.

Alyssa Milano and Peppermint, a transgender ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ contestant, at the rally in Times Square. [Image by Rainmaker/MediaPunch/IPX/AP Images]

After Trump’s move to ban transgender individuals from the military, one voter tweeted to him the following.

“So sad that you would not allow transgender people to serve and risk their life for their country. I voted for you but this is unforgivable.”

The concern over Trump’s actions is showing up in his approval rating from all sides of the aisle. Reuters poll shows the president’s approval rating today at 35 percent, a drop of seven percent from a July 14 approval rating for Trump in the last Reuters poll. The numbers across other polls for Trump are not much better.

The Independent reports that Donald Trump’s approval rating has not just plummeted overall, but dropped in 11 states that he won during Elections 2016. That’s one-third of the states that backed him that are beginning to withdraw support. In those states, less than 50 percent approve of Trump.

The generally red states having the most issue with Trump today are Texas, Indiana, Arizona, and North Carolina. His approval rating in Vermont is 26 percent.

A Gallup poll released the same day as the Reuters poll shows similar numbers, but slightly elevated above Reuters, with Gallup giving Trump an approval rating of 37 percent. An Economist/You Gov poll has Trump approval rating even higher at 41 percent, but with a disapproval rating over the majority line at 54 percent.

A hot topic regarding the Trump Administration this week has been whether or not he will fire special prosecutor Robert Mueller from the Russia investigation. He has also publicly rebuked Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Twitter. Both of these topics are seen as controversial and unfavorably by voters on all sides of the aisle, with one voter of Trump’s saying the following.

“So I voted for you but your disloyalty and ruthlessness toward Jeff Sessions is making me have second thoughts. You said you were a loyal man.”

The Economist/You Gov poll also illustrated how voters are feeling about Trump’s possible firing of Robert Mueller. Seventeen percent in that poll feel Mueller should be fired, with 51 percent saying that Trump should back off of that topic. High ranking Republicans in Congress also do not support Trump firing Mueller.

Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina went on record this week to address both the Robert Mueller and Jeff Sessions issues. He said that if Trump fires Robert Mueller, it will be the “beginning of the end” of his presidency.

Senator Graham also said that if he fires Attorney General Jeff Sessions, “there will be holy hell to pay.” Senator Graham also said Trump needs to show respect to Jeff Sessions as a human and as a person. Senator Graham also said the disrespect shown to Jeff Sessions this week is “not going over very well in the Senate.”

Senator Susan Collins of Maine has also strongly cautioned the president from the upper chamber. CBS News reports that on CBS Face the Nation this past Sunday she told the president to “step back” from the Trump Russia investigation and let Robert Mueller do his job.

“I understand how difficult and frustrating this investigation is for the president. But he should not say anything further about the special counsel, his staff, or the investigation…he needs to step back and not comment, and let Bob Mueller who is an individual with the utmost integrity, carry out the investigation and make his determination.”

Senator Collins is also not on board with the president firing Attorney General Jeff Sessions for the mere fact of recusing himself from the Trump Russia investigation.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine is surrounded by reporters as she heads to the Senate on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday. [Image by J. Scott Applewhite/AP Images]

Senator Collins was also recently caught on a hot mic expressing concern over the president’s sanity, in a conversation with Democratic Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island. Senator Reed said, “I think he’s crazy” to which Senator Collins said, “I’m worried.”

Senator Reed explained saying the following.

“I mean, I don’t say that lightly and as a kind of a goofy guy.”

Senator Reed continued talking about the health care budget, and how “everybody is going to be paralyzed” if Trump doesn’t do something. This was Senator Collin’s response.

“I don’t think he knows there is a BOC or anything. I really don’t.”

Listen to the full clip here.

Senator Graham and Senator Collins are just two of 100 senators in the upper chamber. The New York Times says there is enough circumstantial data to suggest they aren’t alone, and that “Republican support has started to crack.”

This week, the upper chamber voted overwhelmingly in favor of the Russia sanctions bill in a 98-2 vote that would prevent Trump from removing sanctions against Russia without Congressional approval. Republicans also moved to stop the Trump care health care bill from passing this week, with Senator Collins of Maine, Senator Murkowski of Alaska, and Senator McCain of Arizona being the three Republicans that voted against Trump care this week.

Trump himself has noticed the decline in support by his own party, shaming Republicans who did not support him in health care.

Trump does still have Republican support, but it is dwindling by the day in both Congress and voters. Matt Glassman, a political scientist, told the New York Times that he feels there is less support for the president from his own party than has ever happened in history.

“The current congressional G.O.P. seems less supportive and more constraining of the Potus than basically any in history…save the unique circumstance of Andrew Johnson who wasn’t really a Republican, and John Tyler who bucked his party aggressively, neither of whom were elected.”

Today, fewer and fewer of Trump surrogates are appearing on media pressers or as pundits for analysis as the Trump Russia investigation looms. The New York Times says that instead, “they mock him off the record.” But the New York Times also notes, more Republicans need to jump off of the Trump train.

“None of this is meant to suggest that congressional Republicans have been profiles in courage. They haven’t been. They have mostly stood by as Trump lied compulsively, denigrated the rule of law, and tried to shred the modern safety net.”

Alleged Trump voters are expressing their opinions online by tweeting directly to the president. One tweeter told the president, “My god you and your team are a joke.” Another spoke harshly to Trump about the move to ban transgender from the military.

“I voted for you but you lost my support today. Going forward I will be on an anti-Trump campaign. #Trans4Military.”

Another alleged Trump voter said the following.

“I voted for you but really what is wrong with you. Starting to look like a huge failure. Stop ego think about US.”

Other people claiming to be Trump voters have expressed anger about his attack of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, with one voter tweeting, “U will regret pushing him out if he quits or gets fired.” Many tweets are sent to the president about his Twitter use. One person addressed Twitter and Potus.

“I got to admit that I voted for you but this is getting stupid. Get off twitter and act like a president. #Handleyourissueslikeaman.”

The Independent reports that being dogged by these controversies is what is impacting Trump’s approval rating today, as well as his response to them. The Independent notes that last week the Washington Post reported that Trump’s approval rating was the lowest of any president in history.

Trump responded to this by saying that was “not bad at this time” while also calling the poll inaccurate. Trump has already started fundraising for an election campaign in 2020 to run for a second term.

Trump’s approval rating will need to climb if he hopes to be successful in 2020. Some who claim to be Trump voters are stating they regret their November 2016 vote with more “Trump regrets” appearing on Twitter every day.

[Featured Image by Alex Brandon/AP Images]

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