OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
A sizeable majority of registered voters approve of President-elect Donald Trump’s performance as he prepares for his second term in the White House, according to a new poll.
The Harvard CAPS/Harris poll found that 54% of respondents approve of Trump’s leadership, while 40% disapprove. The high approval rating is driven by strong support from 91% of Republicans, along with 49% of independents and 22% of Democrats who also expressed approval, The Hill reported this week.
The poll comes as President-elect Donald Trump transitions into office, set to be sworn in on January 20. He has announced several high-profile Cabinet nominations, including Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) for Secretary of State and Representative Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) for United Nations Ambassador. More controversial picks include former Representative Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) for Attorney General and Fox News host Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense.
The poll revealed that at least a plurality of respondents approve of Trump’s performance across most age groups, with a majority among those aged 18 to 24, 25 to 34, 35 to 44, and 45 to 54. Among those aged 55 to 64, more approve than disapprove, while a slight majority of respondents aged 65 and older expressed disapproval, the outlet added, citing the results.
Trump’s 54% approval rating as president-elect is 12 points higher than the 42% approval for President Biden, according to the same poll. Biden’s rating has remained consistent in recent months, and for some months before he dropped his reelection bid in July, his approval rating dipped into the upper 30s. Vice President Kamala Harris, meanwhile, consistently polled even lower than Biden.
During his presidency, Trump’s approval rating in Gallup surveys never reached 50%, peaking at 49% on a few occasions. Pollster Mark Penn emphasized the importance of this latest poll for Trump’s ability to govern effectively in his second term.
“It’s a good start. He is above 50 in job approval so far — it will be important for him to stay above that level to govern effectively,” Penn told The Hill.
Approval of the Republican Party saw a slight increase, rising from 46% last month to 49% this month, while approval for the Democratic Party declined from 47% to 44%. Meanwhile, just over a quarter of voters (26%) believe the country is on the right track, marking a 4-point drop from October.
With just 62 days remaining in office, Biden already appears to be winding down his term.
On Monday, the commander-in-chief was notably absent from the traditional group photo at the final Group of 20 (G20) summit of his presidency. Officials attributed the no-show to a timing issue, though it marked a striking omission from the global gathering that took place in Brazil.
The 81-year-old President and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrived after the official group photo had already been taken. According to the Associated Press, other world leaders were seen mingling and chatting after posing for the picture, having smiled and exchanged warm gestures during the photo session.
The timing left Chinese President Xi Jinping prominently positioned at the center of the group of leaders, posed against the blue skies and waters of Rio de Janeiro. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, meanwhile, was less conspicuous, standing in the back row.
“A senior Biden administration official, who was not authorized to comment publicly, said Biden and other leaders missed the photo because of ‘logistical issues,’” the AP noted, adding: “Biden had intended to be part of the photo, but it occurred earlier than scheduled.”
Just days earlier, Biden made headlines when he appeared to wander off alone into the Amazon rainforest after delivering a speech on climate change at the COP29 summit in Brazil, Breitbart News reported.
A video of Biden walking away from the podium quickly went viral after being shared on social media. It didn’t take long for Hollywood celebrities—once among his most vocal supporters—to join in ridiculing the seemingly aimless actions of the 81-year-old leader.
Footage from Brazil. Biden, having finished his speech, simply turned around and went into the rainforest 🍌 pic.twitter.com/SdDPAl6CNL
— Katie Liane (@TheKaterPotater) November 18, 2024
