Trump's approval lowest for a year, says conservative poll he often cites

Rasmussen poll says support for president fell after Oval Office address

Donald Trump’s approval rating is at the lowest point for a year, according to a conservative-leaning poll the president often cites.

The poll by Rasmussen Reports found 43 per cent of people approved of the president’s performance as he prepared to mark two years in office, while 55 per cent said they disapproved. The disapprovers included 46 per cent of people who said they “strongly disapprove” of the job the he was doing.

“The president’s overall job approval rating has been falling since his Oval Office address last week calling for enhanced border security and the building of a wall to help stop illegal immigration,” the polling company noted. “This is his lowest daily approval rating in nearly a year.”

It said the last time Mr Trump’s approval rating was lower, was in in January 2018, when it tumbled to just 42 per cent.

Commentators have pointed out the Rasmussen poll, which tracks the rating on a a daily basis, often gives the president a higher approval than over polling companies. A poll by CNN currently puts his disapproval rating at 37, while an average of polls collated by RealClearPolitics scores it 41.4.

Such has been the frequency that Rasmussen scores higher for Mr Trump than other firms, the president has cited its findings on social media. The Hill pointed out that last month Mr Trump pointed to a Rasmussen poll that showed his approval rating at 50 per cent.

He claimed it would be as high as 75 per cent were it not for Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.

“Without the phony Russia Witch Hunt, and with all that we have accomplished in the last almost two years (Tax & Regulation Cuts, Judge’s, Military, Vets, etc.) my approval rating would be at 75% rather than the 50% just reported by Rasmussen,” Mr Trump tweeted.

Rasmussen said among new findings it was set to release, were that almost two-out-of-three voters think illegal immigration is a serious issue, and nearly half of voters think the government is not working hard enough to stop it.

It said 52 per cent believe a wall is likely to slow or stop illegal immigration, but just as many oppose the president declaring a national emergency to get it built without congressional funding.