 "Trump's approval rating tops Biden; support for immigration policy grows")
US President Donald Trump’s approval rating has remained stable, according to a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Tuesday (February 25). According to the survey, 44 per cent of respondents expressed approval of his performance during his first month in office.
Public sentiment towards Donald Trump showed minimal fluctuation despite significant policy changes, including the dismissal of tens of thousands of federal employees and a shift in US strategy regarding the Ukraine-Russia conflict. The poll found that 50 per cent disapproved of his job performance, a slight decrease from 51 per cent in the previous week.
Significantly, Trump’s current approval rating is higher than much of his first term from 2017 to 2021 and surpasses that of his predecessor, Joe Biden, throughout his four years in office.
Public opinion on key policies
The survey, conducted online between Friday and Sunday with a sample of 1,029 US adults, also highlighted a rise in support for Trump’s immigration policies, with approval increasing from 47 per cent to 50 per cent, while opposition stood at 42 per cent.
Views on other key issues remained largely unchanged. Around 41 per cent of respondents approved of Trump's economic policies, while 34 per cent backed his approach to addressing the cost of living.
The poll also revealed that 38 per cent of those surveyed held a favourable opinion of tech billionaire Elon Musk, who has been actively involved in Trump’s government restructuring efforts, whereas 57 per cent viewed him unfavourably.
Economic concerns and inflation
A separate poll conducted last week reported a 44 per cent approval rating for Trump’s presidency, a slight dip from 45 per cent recorded in a Reuters/Ipsos survey from January 24-26. On January 20-21, shortly after Trump’s return to the White House, his approval stood at 47 per cent.
Disapproval of Trump’s leadership has seen a more noticeable increase, with the latest poll showing a 51 per cent disapproval rate, compared to 41 per cent shortly after he took office.
Meanwhile, recent data from the US Labor Department revealed that consumer prices saw their sharpest increase in nearly 18 months this January. Rising costs across various goods and services have contributed to concerns over inflation, which many US households expect to accelerate following Trump’s February 1 announcement of significant tariffs on imports from China, Mexico, and Canada.