2018 US Politics - Republicans continue to be the most optimistic about the direction of the country
This week, President Trump’s approval rating has dipped slightly from the Thanksgiving holiday boost, down 3-points to 41% among all Americans. Republicans (82%) continue to strongly approve of the job that Trump is doing, while Democrats remain highly critical, with just 14% approving. Just one- third (32%) of the public says that the country is heading in the right direction, this perception is relatively unchanged from last week (33%). Republicans continue to be the most optimistic about the direction of the country, with two-thirds (64%) reporting that America is headed in the right direction. Democrats overwhelmingly feel America is headed off on the wrong track (79%).
When it comes the major issues facing the nation, healthcare (20%) and immigration (17%) remain at the top of mind for most Americans. Democrats are more likely to say healthcare is the biggest problem facing the country (26%) more than any other issue. Republicans report that immigration (30%) is the biggest problem America faces.
President Trump continues to receive moderate approval of his handling of international trade (41%) following the summit of G20 world leaders in Argentina this past weekend and reports that President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed American/Chinese trade relations. Trump continues to receive the strongest support for his handling of employment and jobs (52%), and his lowest approval ratings on his handling of another G20 country – Russia (34%).
The bump in approval that Congress enjoyed following the midterm election has bounced back to 26% - a four-point drop from mid-November. Americans continue to be more likely to approve of their individual Representative, with almost half (45%) of Americans saying they support their Congressperson.
