Since returning to the White House on January 20th, former President Donald Trump has maintained a busy schedule, signing 64 executive orders according to Fox News. This surpasses the early activity of previous presidents. While Trump has actively promoted his achievements, public opinion on his performance remains divided.
A recent AARP survey reveals a 48% approval and 47% disapproval rating for Trump. This poll reflects a broader trend of divided public opinion. Other surveys, such as those from Pew Research and CBS News/YouGuv, offer varying perspectives on Trump's approval, with some showing negative and others positive ratings. This marks a significant change from his first term, which saw consistently negative approval throughout.
Republican pollster Neil Newhouse highlighted the difference, noting Trump's current approval is higher than at any point during his first term. He suggests the public is responding positively to Trump's early actions in office.
A strong partisan divide persists, as indicated by the AARP poll. Trump enjoys high approval among Republicans (83% net approval), while facing strong disapproval from Democrats (76% net disapproval). Independent voters show a net disapproval of 19%. The poll also reveals demographic trends, with stronger approval among men, white voters, and those without college degrees, while women, Hispanic and Black voters, and college graduates view him less favorably.
Despite the improvement from his first term, Trump's approval ratings trail those of his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, at the start of his term. Biden initially held approval ratings in the low to mid 50s. However, these declined later in 2021 following criticism of his handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal, rising inflation, and border issues.
