President Donald Trump only just started his second term days ago, though he's had the benefit of doing so with Americans expressing hope and optimism about this second term, in contrast to the negative marks they gave now former President Joe Biden. Trump's also been at his best numbers, including in comparison to his first term. Shortly before Trump began this term, there were polls out regarding his transition and nominees, including Democrats' plans to resist. Now that Trump's officially started his second term, such polls may be even more important.
On Tuesday, Ipsos put out a release on the results of the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll. According to a poll conducted January 20 and January 21, Trump has a 47 percent approval rating, with 29 percent saying they approve strongly. Forty-one percent say they disapprove. There were 1,077 U.S. residents surveyed, 18 years and older.
📊 President Trump job approval
— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) January 22, 2025
🟢 Approve: 47% (+6)
🔴 Disapprove: 41%
Trump's highest net approval by Reuters/Ipsos since April 2017 (was net +6)
——
Trump's net approval on the following issues
• Employment/Jobs: +9
• Immigration: +7
• The Economy: +6
• Foreign policy:… pic.twitter.com/N22YTkvo58
Ipsos pointed out that the 47 percent approval rating is higher than it was when Trump took office in January 2017 for his first term, when he was at 43 percent.
InteractivePolls, in sharing the results over X on Wednesday, pointed out how these most recent results represent "Trump's highest net approval by Reuters/Ipsos since April 2017," when he was also at a net +6.
As the Ipsos release noted:
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Just under half of Americans (47%) approve of how Donald Trump is performing as president. This percentage is slightly higher than the first time Reuters/Ipsos measured Trump's approval rating when he took office in January 2017 (43%) . His approval rating is driven by partisanship, with Democrats not approving (84%) and Republicans approving (91%) at high rates. Independents are split, with 44% approving and 45% disapproving.
If that doesn't seem too high, consider that Democrats are particularly opposed to Trump in these partisan times we live in. Further, this is a Reuters/Ipsos poll we're talking about here. Their final poll for the 2024 election cycle had Vice President Kamala Harris up by +2 against Trump last November.
The release highlights how Americans aren't too keen on expand our territories, including when it comes to retaking the Panama Canal, Denmark selling Greenland to the United States, and Canada becoming our 51st state. Respondents are particularly against using military force in these instances.
However, the poll also contained numerous positive findings for Trump and the Republican Party overall that the release did not focus on or even mention.
The poll asked respondents whether they approved or disapproved of Trump on a wide range of topics. By 42-36 percent, respondents approve of his handling of the economy, and they approve 39-37 percent of his handling on foreign policy. The next topic deals with one of his best issues, "Employment and jobs," with respondents approving 41-32 percent. By 36-35 percent, Americans also approve of his handling on "Dealing with Congress."
Another top issue for Trump, both when it comes to his approval ratings and how he himself has focused on it, is immigration. Respondents approve of his handling by 46-39 percent. Data and analysis continues to show that Americans are in favor of his plans for mass deportations, and Trump also looks to be getting an early win in that the House just passed the Laken Riley Act, with the bill heading to his desk to sign.
Immigration was a major reason why Democrats lost last November and lost so convincingly, as the contrast between the two parties, with the Biden-Harris administration creating wide open borders, could not more stronger.
But again, there's good news for Republicans as a party as well. The poll also asked about issues based on who respondents thought would be better, Republicans or Democrats.
When it comes to the key issues where Republicans lead Democrats, it's often not even close, including on the following:
- By 40-23 percent, respondents believe the Republican Party "has a better plan, policy or approach" than the Democratic Party on the economy. A not insignificant 17 percent say they "don't know."
- By 43-21 percent, respondents say the same when it comes to Republicans over Democrats on immigration. Sixteen percent say they "don't know."
- By 32-24 percent, respondents say the same on "Political extremism or threats to democracy."
- Republicans also enjoy a double digit lead over Democrats on "War, foreign conflicts, or terrorism," with respondents saying the Republican Party has that better plan by 39-21 percent.
- Still another double digit lead comes with "Crime or corruption," with a 37-19 percent lead for Republicans over Democrats when it comes to handling. More respondents say they "don't know," at 20 percent, than say Democrats. Biden certainly did his party no favors by preemptively pardoning his family minutes before Trump took office on Monday.
Republicans also lead or are not far behind Democrats on what the latter party considers key issues of theirs, including:
- By 34-29 percent, respondents say they believe the Republican Party has a better plan on "Gun violence and gun control."
- The Democratic Party only leads 32-21 percent when it comes to which party respondents believe has that better plan on "Respect for democracy," which we heard all about from Democrats for the 2022 and 2024 elections.
- The Democratic Party also only leads by 32-27 percent on healthcare. A not insignificant 19 percent say they "don't know" and 14 percent say "none."
Of the 10 issues that respondents were asked about, Republicans lead on six of them, four of them by double digits.
There's also plenty of issues where Trump isn't exactly doing so well, though it's still worth mentioning them. Americans approve of "The effort he is making to unify the country" by 39-41 percent. Given how now former President Joe Biden made it a campaign promise to supposedly "unify the country," only to repeatedly lie about it, even creating more political divisions, Trump likely deserves to be cut some slack on this issue.
Respondents also only approve of Trump on "Politicization of the justice system" by 29-43 percent. Considering how the Biden-Harris administration was engaged in that "politicization," as well as weaponization, only to then try to gaslight the American people into believing that Trump would do that, this is another area where he deserves some grace.
The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.6 percentage points.
This is just one poll, and even if Trump's numbers don't look as great as they could be, he's still above water. Further, there's plenty of room for him to grow, even when he's already been at his best numbers in various polls.
