[Text/Observer Network Wang Yi] Next week, the Trump administration will reach its first 100 days in office. In this regard, a poll released by the Associated Press on April 26 showed that an increasing number of Americans are dissatisfied with Trump's political agenda. Even among Republicans, only about half approve of his agenda, and opposition to his tariff policies, immigration enforcement actions, and plans to cut federal workforce is also growing.
The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research conducted a survey of 1,260 adults from April 17 to 21. The results showed that 44% of Americans believe that Trump's agenda focuses on the wrong priorities, compared to only 24% who believe that his agenda priorities are correct.
44% of Americans believe that Trump's agenda focuses on the wrong priorities. Graphic by AP.
The survey by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that about four out of ten Americans believe that Trump's second term performance has been "terrible," and approximately one in ten Americans believe he performed "poorly."
A joint poll conducted by The New York Times/Siena College from April 21 to 24 of 913 voters found that Trump's approval rating had fallen to 42%, with voters disapproving of his handling of issues such as immigration and the economy.
"It's hard to find a 'good' number for Trump in any survey," The New York Times analysis pointed out. Looking at these figures alone, it must be said that this administration's start has been very poor. For most presidents, the first 100 days in office should see positive approval ratings; it's not easy for Trump to quickly consume so much goodwill, and things are likely to get even harder from now on.
According to media statistics, since taking office in January until April, Trump has signed 130 executive orders covering various topics such as the economy, education, foreign aid, and immigration, overturning many of America's policy cornerstones. On his first day in office, he signed an executive order suspending funding to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), announced high tariffs on multiple countries in March, pushed for the closure of the Department of Education, ordered the "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE) to lead federal government cost-cutting efforts, and so on...
According to the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey, three-quarters of Democrats believe that Trump has focused on the wrong issues, and about seven out of ten Democrats consider him to be a "terrible" president so far. The AP noted that this proportion has increased compared to January when about six out of ten Democrats expected him to perform poorly.
Rahsaan Henderson, a Democrat from California, described the first 100 days of Trump's presidency as "one of the longest 100 days I've experienced," saying, "I think the next four years will be a test to see who can resist this most contemptuous and defiant president."
On the other hand, Republicans have a higher approval rating for Trump. The AP reported that seven out of ten Republican respondents said that Trump was at least a "good" president, about half of the respondents believed that his priorities were generally correct, but one out of ten respondents believed that Trump's agenda priorities were wrong.
Tanner Bergstrom, a Republican from Minnesota, said that Trump is indeed fulfilling his promises, adding, "He's not just making a bunch of promises, then takes office, and nothing happens... I really like that. Even if there are some things I disagree with, he is doing what he promised to do."
The AP survey found that Republican respondents particularly liked the billionaire advisor Musk and Trump's cost-cutting plan—the efforts led by DOGE. Matthew Spencer, a Republican from Texas, believed that DOGE has made great progress in cutting costs, "I also agree with the 'America First' concept," "I agree with his policies on border protection and the self-reliance stance that America has shown on tariff issues."
However, the AP discovered some new signs indicating that some of Trump's supporters may be becoming dissatisfied with his performance so far. Since January, the proportion of Republicans who believe that Trump is at least a "good" president has dropped by about 10 percentage points. They may come to view Trump as "poor" or "terrible" in the future.
Stephanie Melnyk, a Republican voter from Tennessee, generally supports Trump's governance, but she does not approve of his foreign policy, especially regarding Ukraine. Melnyk, an immigrant from Ukraine, believes that what Trump is doing is "a temporary expedient that won't last."
"He sounds arrogant, as if he wants me to do things his way," Melnyk said, "It feels like, man, you're not 12 years old."
Douglas Williams, a Missouri rancher and banker who voted for Trump in all three previous elections, told The New York Times that he is concerned that some of the president's executive orders are "pushing the limits."
"Now, do I agree with this goal? Do I agree with the outcome? Maybe," Williams said, "But I am a constitutionalist, and I am at least slightly worried about where we might end up."
Only a small number of respondents approve of Trump's series of policies. Graphic by AP.
The New York Times reported that voters said Trump had "gone too far" on a range of issues—his tariff policies, immigration enforcement actions, and plans to cut federal workforce. The newspaper's survey found that 54% of people believe that Trump's actions "exceeded his authority," including 16% of Republicans and 62% of independent voters.
On economic issues that helped Trump win the presidency, he is also losing voter support. The New York Times/Siena College poll found that 55% of voters disapprove of Trump's economic policies, and the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey also found that only slightly more than one-third of respondents approve of Trump's handling of economic issues.
Not long after taking office, Trump began implementing his tariff policies. On March 26, he signed an executive order announcing a 25% tariff on imported cars and parts; on April 2, he further expanded the scope of the tariff war under the guise of "reciprocal tariffs," announcing a 10% baseline tariff on all trading partners and imposing punitive rates of up to 49% on trade partners such as China, Vietnam, Japan, and the EU.
Newsweek noted on April 26 that during his campaign and two terms as president, Trump positioned himself as a dealmaker and economic steward, claiming to "bring back jobs," reduce costs, and "make America great again." However, as inflation rises and the trade war with China and Canada intensifies, voters seem to be losing trust in Trump's economic policies, with more and more people worrying that the U.S. economy is heading toward a recession.
Many economists, financial companies, Democrats, and some Republicans, including Nobel laureate Paul Krugman, have warned that Trump's tariff policies could trigger a recession. The Trump administration has not ruled out this possibility, pointing out that there will be some market disruptions during the transition period, but they are merely urging Americans to "persevere" during the "economic revolution."
The AP noted that those who dramatically changed their views in Trump's first few months in office were mostly Democrats and independents. Gabriel Antonucci, a 26-year-old Democrat, believed that Trump's second term would be "far more absurd than he anticipated."
Antonucci complained, "It seems like he is truly trying his best to make wrong decisions, and the situation might be worse four years from now than it is now."
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Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7497820367382266422/
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