Trump’s favorability will continue to decline | The Triangle

Trump’s favorability will continue to decline

Mobilus In Mobili: Flickr
Mobilus In Mobili: Flickr

After less than a month in office, President Donald J. Trump’s ratings are soaring — but not in his favor.

According to a recent Gallup survey, the 45th President’s disapproval ratings are up to a staggering 55 percent, which is seven percentage points higher than it was during the week of his Jan. 20 inauguration. Since Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidency, no other president has reached a 50 percent disapproval rating until months into their presidency — for most, it took years to reach a 50 percent disapproval rate.

Trump’s favorable ratings will proceed to plummet as he continues to apply his unconventional tactics to his already shaky administration.

Undoubtedly, Trump possesses an unwavering and firm leadership style that has not been practiced by most recent presidents. While many do favor his ability to lay down an iron fist and stick to his campaign promises, this support does not translate to approval of his character or his political competence.

Between Trump’s controversial immigration ban and his appointment of remarkably unfit officials to senior positions in the Cabinet, he has been unable to provide a sense of security about his capacity to effectively govern the most powerful nation in the world. If he continues on this path with disregard for consequences — a path that he has yet to stray from since the beginning of his campaign — I suspect he will quickly lose the respect of even his biggest supporters.

Although the president has stood by his vow to lead with power and apply his campaign assertions, he has not remained consistent with his promise to lead all Americans. He has thus far attempted to ban immigrants from seven nations wholly, despite the fact that the threat they pose as a whole is virtually nonexistent. By neglecting these people, many of whom are hardworking citizens of our nation, he employs a sense of ostracization, which threatens the unity of our nation. For a land and a people who find strength in solidarity, Trump will not continue to enjoy the support of most.

After Trump’s nomination of Betsy DeVos for secretary of education, he experienced further backlash from those in the education system. DeVos, who has never held a role in teaching and never struggled to pay for her own education or that of her children, will lack the ability to empathize with those in such circumstances. With her confirmation, Trump has further assured the nation that he lacks a sense of understanding for a majority. This will have a considerably negative effect on his future approval.

President Trump’s ratings are down because, aside from his stern authority and quick action, he has failed to instill confidence in Americans regarding his governing abilities. He has persistently disappointed many by leading them to think he is a defender of all Americans.

This premature dissatisfaction with the new administration foreshadows a certain loss of Republican strength in the Senate after the 2018 midterm elections. The party can thank its head for its untimely departure from power. A leader is only so effective with the support of those around them; for President Trump, that support is quickly dwindling.