Despite Americans' optimism that Donald Trump will keep major campaign promises, he remains the least popular incoming president in the last four decades, a Washington Post-ABC poll found.
Here are the poll highlights:
- 40 percent have a favorable impression of him, compared to 54 percent who rate him unfavorably.
- 40 percent approve of the way he has handled the presidential transition, compared to 54 percent who disapprove.
- 44 percent say Trump is qualified to serve as president, while 52 percent say he is not qualified.
- 61 percent say he will do an excellent or good job handling the economy, while 37 percent say he will do a not so good or poor job.
- 59 percent say he will be excellent or good at creating jobs, while 38 percent say he will be not so good or poor.
- 43 percent say Trump is being too friendly toward Russia, while 40 percent say he is taking the right approach.
"Compared with other presidents, Trump's handling of the transition has been judged harshly by respondents," the Post noted.
"As with his favorable rating, 40 percent say they approve and 54 percent disapprove. In comparison, roughly 8 in 10 approved of the way Obama and former presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush handled their transitions.
"And about 7 in 10 approved of the way former president George W. Bush handled his, even though it came amid the rancorous 37-day recount of ballots in Florida and a controversial Supreme Court decision that helped put him in the Oval Office."
Here is how some of the rest of the poll breaks down:
- 64 percent believe Russia hacked into Hillary Clinton campaign emails, while 20 percent say Vladimir Putin's nation was not behind it.
- 35 percent approve of the way Trump has responded to the issue of Russian campaign hacking, while 54 percent disapprove.
- 46 percent support a repeal of Obamacare, compared to 47 percent who oppose it.
- 49 percent believe the news media are treating Trump fairly, while 47 percent say the media are treating him unfairly.
"As in the campaign, Trump is a polarizing figure who generates great enthusiasm among those who supported him and deep hostility among those who did not," the Posted noted.
"Attitudes toward Trump, along with deep partisan divisions that predated his candidacy, provide the backdrop for Friday's ceremonies at the Capitol and the opening days of the 45th president's tenure."