Special Poll
According to a recent Reuters/Ipsos survey, less than half of Americans view President-elect Trump favorably as he prepares to start his second term in office. The poll found that 41 percent of respondents have a favorable opinion of Trump, while 55 percent view him unfavorably.
Trump’s victory over Vice President Harris in the 2024 presidential election has stirred significant reactions across the political spectrum—energizing Republicans and causing dismay among Democrats. This electoral outcome has also been accompanied by the Democrats’ failure to secure a majority in the House and their loss of the Senate, prompting a flurry of introspection within the party. Discussions have centered on the party’s direction, with some moderate members suggesting it has shifted too far to the left, whereas progressives argue it has not moved leftward enough.
The same poll also reflected poorly on President Biden, who received an approval rating of just 38 percent. Some Democrats attribute their loss of the presidency to Biden’s decision to stay in the race, criticizing it as detrimental. On the “Pod Save America” podcast, a favorite among left-leaning audiences, host Jon Favreau described Biden’s reelection campaign as a “catastrophic mistake” and noted that those close to Biden were reluctant to acknowledge his unpopularity.