Kathrine Frich
One year into Donald Trump’s return to the White House, a new survey points to deep divisions in public opinion.
The findings highlight voter unease over character and economic concerns ahead of the midterm elections.
Half is unhappy
A YouGov/The Economist poll conducted between February 13 and 16 found that 56% of Americans disapprove of the president’s performance.
Around 47% of respondents said they would use the term “racist” to describe Trump, while 24% disagreed and 29% said they had no opinion.
About 49% said they would call him “corrupt.” Twenty-three percent rejected that label and 29% were undecided.
Meanwhile, 46% of adults described the president as “cruel,” compared with 22% who would not. Thirty-two percent said they had no opinion.
White house response
The administration dismissed the poll’s significance.
“The ultimate poll was on November 5, 2024, when nearly 80 million Americans overwhelmingly elected President Trump to implement his popular and common sense agenda,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle said in an emailed statement.
“The president has already made historic progress not just in America , but around the world,” he added.
Economic worries
Inflation and the broader economy ranked as the top concerns among those surveyed. Although inflation has slowed, many voters say they continue to feel pressure from higher prices.
According to Axios, the president’s net popularity rating is now lower than former President Joe Biden’s at the same stage of his term, and lower than Trump’s own rating at this point during his first presidency.
However, the poll suggests Trump maintains stronger approval among Republicans than he did at a similar moment in his previous term.
The survey included 1,682 U.S. adults, of whom 1,512 were registered voters. The margin of error was plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
Sources: YouGov/The Economist poll, Axios, Ziare.
