President Donald Trump’s approval rating has fallen two points to 44 percent in the latest poll from Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll taken in December, during the partial government shutdown.
The poll, which was shared with The Hill, shows that just 44 percent approve of Trump’s job performance, 20 percent strongly approve and 23 percent somewhat approve. Most respondents, 56 percent, disapprove of Trump’s performance, with 36 percent strongly disapproving. Last month, Harvard CAPS/Harris poll measured Trump’s approval rating at 46 percent.
Most voters approve of Trump’s efforts to increase jobs, 56 percent, and improve the economy, 52 percent. But less than half approve of how he leads the government, 41 percent, or his foreign policy, 43 percent.
“The stability of the president’s approval rating suggests that the controversies surrounding his actions are overblown,” Harvard CAPS/Harris poll co-director Mark Penn told the Hill.
“His biggest concern is not Syria or the shutdown, but a declining stock market,” he continued. “Experts talking up a recession as around the corner caused Trump’s approval of the economy to fall to just 51 percent. Those who believe the economy is strong declined sharply to 62 percent, back to where it was when Trump started. Trump is correct when he says higher interest rates are the biggest pitfall he faces now.”
Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll surveyed 1,473 registered voters from Dec. 24-26, with no margin of error given.