President Trump’s approval rate slipped after his first week back in the Oval Office, where he issued a slew of executive orders (EO), according to a new poll.
The Reuters/Ispos poll, published Tuesday, shows that 45 percent of participants approve of Trump’s actions thus far — including major reforms to immigration policy, an overhaul of federal oversight and grant funding, as well as orders that directly impact the military. The numbers mark a 2-point decrease from a poll conducted earlier this month.
Trump’s disapproval rating shot up by 7 percentage points, jumping from 39 percent to 46 percent of survey takers who were displeased with his new measures as commander-in-chief.
“While it does seem Trump is getting a honeymoon to some extent, his numbers are still not impressive by historical standards,” Kyle Kondik, an analyst with the University of Virginia Center for Politics told Reuters.
However, his executive actions, many of which are unprecedented have created a stark contrast between supporters and critics. During the president’s first day in office, he withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement, which 59 percent of respondents in the latest survey were unhappy with.
Just under 60 percent of respondents also voiced their dissatisfaction with the president’s efforts to end diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) hiring practices within federal offices across the nation. His EO to close federal DEI offices was opposed by 51 percent while 44 percent were in favor of the decision, the poll found.
The president also launched new deportation measures in recent days that have divided support for his administration. Roughly 48 percent of Americans approve of Trump’s approach to immigration and border security, compared to 41 percent who disapprove, the data shows.
“Trump was elected in large part because voters tended to side with him on the economy and immigration,” Kondik told Reuters. “To the extent he is viewed as doing positive things on that, it’s probably good for him.”
The Reuters/Ipsos poll, conducted online and nationwide from Jan. 24-26, surveyed 1,034 adults and has a margin of error of about 4 percentage points.
