A new Marist poll released Thursday shows President Trump's approval rating has shot up to 42 percent in recent weeks, the highest number for the survey since he took office in January 2017.
More than four in ten Americans (42%) approve of President Donald Trump’s job performance. This is the highest job approval rating for Trump since he took office and is an increase from the 38% score he received in Marist’s survey conducted February 20th through February 21st. 50% of U.S. residents, down slightly from 54%, disapprove of how the president is performing in office, and 8% are unsure.
The proportion of Americans who strongly approve of how Trump is doing his job (24%) is at its height and is identical to the proportion who had this view in early February.
The poll also notesTrump's approval in the south is the only region where his job performance is seen more positively than negatively. This is also a recent change.
President Trump’s rating is now above water in the South. It is the only region in the country where the president’s job performance is viewed more positively (49%) than negatively (44%). In late February, 42% of residents in the South approved of Trump’s job performance. 50% disapproved.
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“Even if President Trump’s policies are not initially popular, he benefits from focusing discussion on the issues,” Director of The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion Dr. Lee M. Miringoff said about the poll. “If the White House chatter distracts and overshadows the president’s agenda, his standing suffers.”
In other words, Americans are looking past Trump's personality, which the media tends to focus on heavily, and onto his policy positions. In the wake of tax reform, they like what they see.
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