President Donald Trump’s approval rating appears to be taking a hit across just about every poll. His struggles come following the release of The New York Times op-ed that hinted at an internal effort to keep the President from exercising his “worst impulses” and the release of a book by famed journalist Bob Woodward which likewise claimed that administration officials are working to control the President.
CNN kicked off the latest round when their poll showed that President Trump’s approval rating dropped from 42 percent to 36 percent. An ABC poll showed similar results, with Trump’s approval rating dropping from 40 percent to 36 percent. However, other polls show a far less dramatic decline. The Quinnipiac University poll found that Trump’s approval rating dropped from 40 percent to 38 percent, while the Suffolk University poll recorded a drop from 43 percent to 40 percent.
According to the CNN poll, Trump’s approval rating among Republicans remains high at 82 percent. However, among independents it has dropped from 47 percent to just 31 percent. With the 2018 midterm elections fast approaching, a decline among independents could spell trouble for Republicans at the voting booth. Of course, President Trump has proven polls wrong before.
The United States economy is currently booming. The old adage about voters says “it’s the economy, stupid,” and high economic performance has traditionally led to strong support. The United States is enjoying historically low unemployment and rapid economic expansion. Still, the historically strong economy seems to be doing little to bolster Trump’s support.
The White House has found itself embroiled in a publicity crisis, that much is beyond debate. This week should see a renewed flurry of backlash from pundits and the like, given that Bob Woodward’s book “Fear” went on sale this week, debuting in the top-ten best-selling books on Amazon.
The book details alleged insider efforts to rein in President Trump. With partisanship having reached historically high levels in the United States, it’s unlikely that the book will be a major influence among Trump’s supporters. And there seems to be little the President could do to change the minds among his opposition.
