President Donald Trump's pub ОШlic approval rating has declined, reaching its lowest point since he returned to the White House. This indicates that Americans are concerned about his efforts to expand power, it is stated in the conclusion of the Reuters/Ipsos poll that ended on Monday.
About 42% of participants in this six-day survey approved of Trump's performance as president. This figure is below the 43% from three weeks ago and the 47% observed after the inauguration on January 20th.
Trump's presidency has astonished political opponents. He has signed dozens of orders aimed at expanding his influence over state agencies and private organizations like universities and legal firms.
Although Trump's approval rating is higher than several indicators during the term of his Democratic opponent, former President Joe Biden, the Reuters/Ipsos survey results show that many Americans are displeased with his attempts to punish universities he deems liberal and to appoint himself to the management of the Kennedy Center in Washington (a cultural and theater institution).
83% of the 4,306 respondents stated that “the US president must comply with federal court orders even if he does not want to”. If the Trump administration were to deport individuals suspected of connections with the Venezuelan group without a court order, it could be criminally liable.
57% of respondents — including a third of Republican participants — expressed opposition to the notion that “the US president can withhold financial aid if he disagrees with university policies”.
It is known that Trump had previously frozen federal funds allocated to universities, claiming “they do not fight antisemitism sufficiently”. This includes more than 2 billion dollars allocated for Harvard University.
Additionally, 66 percent of survey participants opposed the president's control over cultural institutions — national museums and theaters. Last month, Trump had ordered the removal of “unacceptable” ideas from the Smithsonian Institution — a large museum and scientific complex showcasing American history and culture.
On issues such as inflation, migration, taxes, and the rule of law, the Reuters/Ipsos survey showed that the number of people disapproving of Trump's performance exceeds those satisfied with his policies. The most supported policy direction is migration, where only 45 percent approve, and 46 percent expressed dissatisfaction.
The survey's margin of error is approximately 2 percentage points.
59 percent of participants — including a third of Republicans — believe that America is losing its reputation on the international stage.
Additionally, 75 percent of participants do not wish for Trump to run for a third presidential term. Although he has expressed such intentions, the US Constitution does not allow it. The majority of Republican participants — 53 percent — also believe that Trump should not participate in the elections for a third time.
Abdulloh Sayyid
