Only time will tell, but Donald Trump has a real shot at going down in history as the single most unpopular, disastrous president the United States has ever seen.
His single-term presidency serves as an embarrassing smear on the lofty office, and the harm he did while in power continues to hold our country back. He allowed the COVID-19 pandemic to ravage our citizens, costing hundreds of thousands of lives, he removed the United States from several key trade pacts, tarnished our reputation among our most trusted allies, threatened the world with nuclear war on more than one occasion, and, if he’s elected again, presents a real risk to the future of our democracy. When a heartless populist tells you he plans to become a dictator, you listen.
All that and more will serve as Trump’s legacy long after he’s gone from this world, but — despite his attempt to incite an insurrection, the numerous criminal trials he currently faces, and the outright lies he spews on a daily basis to mislead the American public — Trump is once again on the presidential ballot. Against all odds, and in an embarrassing admission of the quality of human America will allow to run for president, Trump has a real shot at another term in the Oval Office, despite slowly diminishing support even among his most rabid fans.
Donald Trump’s approval rating in 2024
Trump’s approval rating has shifted massively over the years, with notable dips and peaks at key moments in his candidacy and presidency, but he seems to be losing support in 2024. While his support base is as passionate and belligerent as ever, Trump’s many trials are starting to catch up to him. Mounting legal costs, embarrassing admissions, and a seemingly deteriorating mental state might be enough to properly hurt his chances at the presidency, but this is Trump we’re talking about. Few people thought he’d be elected the first time around — let’s not underestimate him twice.
Despite the myriad of transgressions this man has somehow managed to accumulate in the years he’s been in politics — which total out to less than a full decade — he somehow still boasts massive support, but as of March 2024, the percentage of Americans who hold “favorable” opinions on the former president is lower than those who hold “unfavorable” opinions, according to analysis site 538. Statistics as recent as March 22 show that around 42.6% of Americans see Trump in a favorable light, while 52.8% of Americans view him in an unfavorable light.
By mid-March, after trailing behind him in polls for months, Biden narrowly managed to secure a lead on his Republican opponent. It’s only by a single percentage point, but Biden currently leads Trump 45%-44%, according to an average calculated by The Economist.
Biden is by no means a popular choice for president, but many Americans see him as far less dangerous than Trump. His lack of major support presents a palpable risk in the upcoming election, however, as he continues to broadly match Trump in favorability polls. Trump may be losing support, but Biden never really had it to begin with.
Its vital to note that pre-election polls rarely reflect the actual outcome of the election, due to the ill-weighted number of people who take part in polls versus actual elections. Still, noting where Trump’s favorability currently stands is a good way to test the waters, and prepare ourselves for what is sure to be a historic 2024 election.
