TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “In the year since President Donald Trump took office, his approval rating has dropped and Americans have turned less hopeful, but he is getting credit for economic improvements and the surging stock market, a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll has found.
Overall, 39% said they approved of Mr. Trump’s performance in office, while 57% disapproved, including 51% who said they ‘strongly disapproved.’
In February 2017, just after his inauguration, the Journal/NBC poll found a closer division of opinion: 44% had approved and 48% disapproved of him.
Still, Mr. Trump has been bolstered by overseeing a stronger economy, with low unemployment and a record-high stock market. Asked to name what made them feel positive about Mr. Trump, one-fifth of respondents picked ‘the strong economy’ from a list of first-year developments that Mr. Trump has called accomplishments. That included 15% of Democrats, 19% ofindependents and 26% of Republicans.
Some 13% said they felt good about Mr. Trump ‘putting America first,’ while 10% cited tax reform and 10% named military success against Islamic State.”
-Janet Hook, “Trump’s Approval Rating Slides, but President Gets Credit for Economy, Stocks,” The Wall Street Journal online, Jan. 19, 2018 09:11am