Trump's Approval Rating Hits Record High
As President Donald Trump leads the nation through its efforts to cope with the coronavirus, Americans are lining up behind him in record numbers.
The results of an ABC News/Washington Post poll released Friday show that Trump’s approval rating has hit a record high, with a majority of Americans supporting Trump’s handling of the crisis caused by the disease.
The poll found that 48 percent of those surveyed approve of the job Trump is doing as president.
That’s historic ground, because it is the first ABC-Post poll since Trump took office where the president’s approval rating — 48 percent — was higher than his disapproval rating — 46 percent.
Trump won a flat-out majority of support among those surveyed for how he has steered the nation in response to the virus.
Fifty-one percent approve of his work, while 45 percent do not.
Overall, 66 percent of those polled said they are confident in the federal government’s approach to fighting the virus.
Trump’s approval figures have always been bisected by a partisan fault line, but the poll found that among Democrats, his approval rating rose 13 points between a February poll and the March survey.
Among liberals, Trump’s approval rating rose 10 points over a month.
The president’s approval numbers remain strong among Republicans, at 86 percent, and conservatives, at 75 percent.
The survey also exposed a partisan divide in how Americans look at the coronavirus.
According to the poll, 77 percent of Democrats are worried about catching the disease, as are 73 percent of independents.
Among Republicans, only 56 percent are contracting the virus. The poll noted that Democrats are clustered in some states with the highest numbers of coronavirus cases, such as New York, New Jersey, California and Washington state.
“This ABC News/Washington Post poll was conducted by landline and cellular telephone March 22-25, 2020, in English and Spanish, among a random national sample of 1,003 adults,” according to the survey. “Results have a margin of sampling error of 3.5 points, including the design effect.”
Trump’s leadership was recently praised by World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Productive call with President @realDonaldTrump. I appreciated him for the great job he is doing to fight #COVID19 through whole-of-government approach, leveraging R&D, engaging private sector incl. on essential medical supplies, expansion of testing, educating public.
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) March 23, 2020
“I believe that kind of political commitment and political leadership can bring change or can stop this pandemic,” Tedros said Wednesday, according to the New York Post, pointing out that showing leadership is “exactly what he is doing, which we appreciate.”
“Fighting this pandemic needs political commitment and commitment at the highest level possible and the president’s commitment, you have already seen it,” Tedros said, CNBC reported. “And that kind of leadership is very, very important, the whole of government approach, to mobilize all sectors to suppress the pandemic. So I know he’s doing all he can.”
During his appearance Thursday at the coronavirus task force news briefing, Trump said everyday Americans deserve the credit for the nation pulling through this crisis, according to a White House media pool report.
“Every American should be proud of the incredible spirit our country has brought to this effort,” Trump said.
“It’s been incredible. Citizens from all walks of life have come together to turn the tide in this battle. We’re witnessing the extraordinary power of American unity like a lot of people have never seen.”
“We are waging war on this virus using every financial, scientific, medical, pharmaceutical, and military resource to halt its spread and protect our citizens. I want to express our tremendous thanks to the American people for continuing to practice social distancing — like you people are practicing right here; I don’t know, this room may never be the same — maintaining good hygiene, and follow government guidelines,” he added.
Trump also made it clear the sacrifices and restrictions are not without an end.
“We have to get back to work. Our people want to work. They want to go back. They have to go back. And we’re going to be talking about dates. We’re going to be talking with a lot of great professionals,” the president said.
“But this is a country that was built on getting it done, and our people want to go back to work. I’m hearing — I’m hearing it loud and clear from everybody. So we’ll see what — what happens. We’re going to have a lot more information early next week, and we’ll be reporting that back.”
“But I just want to leave it with you: We have to go back. This is the United States of America. They don’t want to sit around and wait,” he added. “And they’ll be practicing — and, by the way, a lot of people misinterpret when I say ‘go back.’ They’re going to be practicing, as much as you can, social distancing and washing your hands and not shaking hands and all of the things that we talk about so much.
“But they have to go back to work. Our country has to go back. Our country is based on that,” Trump said.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
