Story Highlights
- 45% approve of Trump's handling of the economy, 51% disapprove
- Approval of handling of North Korea down 10 points since September
- Ratings of handling of taxes and healthcare are low but steady
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Americans continue to rate President Donald Trump better on the economy than on taxes, the situation with North Korea, foreign affairs and healthcare policy. Although the economy is a relative strength for him at 45% approval, more Americans (51%) disapprove of Trump's handling of it.
Approve | Disapprove | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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% | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Overall job approval | 37 | 59 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The economy | 45 | 51 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Taxes | 37 | 55 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The situation with North Korea | 35 | 60 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Foreign affairs | 33 | 61 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Healthcare policy | 31 | 64 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Gallup, Nov. 2-8, 2017 |
The survey was conducted Nov. 2-8 as Trump embarked on a tour of five Asian countries. While in Asia, Trump is addressing growing U.S. tensions with North Korea, an issue he has been grappling with for months. Meanwhile, back at home, Congress has taken up debate on an overhaul of the nation's tax system, a priority for the president.
Trump's approval ratings on North Korea (35%) and foreign affairs (33%) are down 10 and eight percentage points, respectively, since September, and his 37% approval rating for handling taxes is similar to what it was in June. Likewise, his 31% approval rating on handling healthcare policy is not significantly different from what it was in June. Trump has thus far been unable to keep his campaign promise of repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act.
Trump's overall job approval rating, currently at 39% in Gallup Daily tracking, has been intractable lately, but his handling of the economy had been a sign of strength, rising to 51% in September. Still, despite losing some ground in Americans' perceptions of his handling of the nation's business, of the five issues Gallup tested in the latest poll, Trump's greatest strength remains his handling of the economy. This isn't new. One year ago, shortly after his victory over Hillary Clinton, a Gallup poll found six in 10 Americans expecting Trump to improve the economy.
Republicans Still Widely Approve of Trump
With near unanimity, 89% of Republicans approve of Trump's handling of the economy, while just 19% of Democrats do. Similar stark partisan divides occur across all of the issues measured this month. Republicans' approval of Trump on healthcare policy (70%) is the lowest rating he receives among his party's loyalists. Nine percent of Democrats approve of the president's handling of this issue.
All adults | Republicans | Independents | Democrats | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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% | % | % | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The economy | 45 | 89 | 40 | 19 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Taxes | 37 | 82 | 33 | 9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The situation with North Korea | 35 | 75 | 29 | 11 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Foreign affairs | 33 | 72 | 28 | 9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Healthcare policy | 31 | 70 | 24 | 9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
GALLUP, Nov. 2-8, 2017 |
Looking back at Gallup polling conducted at the same point in Barack Obama's presidency, a similar partisan divide was evident. On his handling of the economy, 75% of Democrats and 14% of Republicans approved. Democratic approval of Obama at that point was lower than Republican approval of Trump is now, but the U.S. was in the throes of the Great Recession.