President Donald Trump's job approval of 40 percent is 21 percentage points below the historical average rating for newly elected presidents in mid-February, according to the Gallup Poll.
Here is how the survey compares Trump's mid-February approval ratings to other first year presidents:
- Barack Obama had a 64 percent rating in Feb. 2009.
- George W. Bush received a 62 percent rating in Feb. 2001.
- Bill Clinton had a 51 percent rating percent rating in Feb. 1993.
- George H.W. Bush received a 63 percent rating in Feb. 1989.
- Ronald Reagan had a 55 percent rating in Feb. 1981.
- Jimmy Carter received a 71 percent rating in Feb. 1977.
- Richard Nixon had a 60 percent rating in Feb. 1969.
- John F. Kennedy received a 72 percent rating in Feb. 1961.
- Dwight Eisenhower had a 67 percent rating in Feb. 1953.
Trump's 40 percent approval rating is split dramatically on party lines, the survey noted:
- 87 percent of Republicans approve of the job he is doing.
- 8 percent of Democrats approve.
- 35 percent of independents approve.
"Trump's job approval ratings are low largely because few Democrats — currently 8 percent — evaluate the job he is doing positively," according to the Gallup report. "His current level of support from Democrats is much lower than what presidents typically get from the opposition party during the 'honeymoon phase' of their presidency."
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