In the wake of Donald Trump’s victory in the Nov. 5, 2024, presidential election, Americans have expressed narrow approval of his plans and policies for the future. A Pew Research Center survey conducted from Nov. 12 to 17, 2024, reveals that 53% of U.S. adults approve of Trump’s upcoming agenda, while 46% disapprove. The survey also shows that Trump draws broad confidence in his economic policy. About 59% of Americans are confident in his ability to make good decisions on economic issues.
Americans are generally confident in Trump’s ability to handle several key policy areas:
- Law enforcement and criminal justice: 54% express confidence.
- Immigration: 53% are confident in Trump’s approach.
- Foreign policy: 53% share similar confidence.
However, fewer Americans (45%) express confidence in Trump’s approach to abortion policy, reflecting a more divided opinion on this particular issue.
DIVIDED OPINIONS ON NATIONAL UNITY
Despite gaining approval for his policies, Trump faces significant skepticism when it comes to uniting the country. Only 41% of Americans are confident that he can bring the nation closer together. About 59% express little to no confidence in his ability to foster unity. Many Americans also believe that reaching out to Kamala Harris’ supporters is critical for national cohesion. About 52% say it is extremely or very important for him to reach out to the Vice President’s supporters. Just 31% of Americans believe Trump has done an excellent or good job of reaching out to Harris’ supporters, while a majority (66%) say he has done only a fair or poor job.
TRUMP’S PERSONAL IMAGE AND NATIONAL SENTIMENT
Trump’s personal image has improved since previous elections. In a “feeling thermometer” rating, 43% of Americans rate Trump as “warm” (51-100 scale). This is an improvement from his post-election ratings in 2020 (34%) and 2016 (36%). yet, nearly half (48%) give Trump a “cold” rating (below 50), with 40% of Americans rating him as “very cold” (0-24).
When it comes to personal traits, 55% say Trump is “mentally sharp”, while 51% agree that he keeps his promises. However, fewer Americans describe him as “caring about ordinary Americans” (45%) or “honest” (42%).
NATIONAL CONDITIONS: REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS DIVERGE
Americans’ satisfaction with the state of the country has seen a slight increase following Trump’s victory. 29% of Americans express satisfaction with national conditions, up from 23% in October, although 70% remain dissatisfied. There has been a sharp division between Republicans and Democrats in their views of the nation’s condition:
- 35% of Republicans feel positive about the country’s direction, up from just 10% in October.
- In contrast, 24% of Democrats have positive views, down from 38% the previous month.
EMOTIONAL REACTIONS TO TRUMP’S VICTORY
Following Trump’s victory, Republicans have expressed relief (46%) and excitement (43%). However, Democrats are largely disappointed, with 56% feeling disappointment and 31% expressing anger. These reactions mirror those from Trump’s 2016 election win, reflecting long-standing partisan divides in American politics.
TRANSITION OF POWER: SMOOTH OR BUMPY?
Americans express increased confidence that the transition to Trump’s administration will be smoother than it was in 2020, when Trump contested election results. 70% of Americans now say they are somewhat or very confident in a smooth transition, compared to just 26% in 2020. Republicans are more confident (79%) compared to Democrats (64%).
His post-election conduct has been viewed much more positively than in 2020. While only 28% of Americans rated his conduct positively after the 2020 election, 53% of Americans now view it positively. In comparison, 56% view Kamala Harris’ post-election conduct positively.
EXPECTATIONS FOR PARTISAN RELATIONS
Most Americans do not expect improvement in partisan relations following Trump’s victory. Only 14% expect relations between Republicans and Democrats to improve in the coming year. Instead, most expect partisan tensions to either worsen (45%) or remain the same (41%).
