Trump’s Coronavirus Approval Rating Has Plummeted

The president’s approval mark has dropped 8% since March 20 while his disapproval has risen by 9%

Support for President Trump’s response to the deadly coronavirus pandemic has dropped substantially over the past two weeks.

According to a new ABC News/IPSOS poll released Friday, only 47% approve of his management of the outbreak, while 52% of Americans expressed disapproval. The new mark represents a substantial decrease from the previous ABC/IPSOS poll published on March 20 which found 55% of respondents approved of Trump’s response, compared to only 43% who disapproved. 

Friday’s poll numbers follow a Thursday survey from Navigator Research that showed 53% of Americans don’t trust Trump to tell the truth about the coronavirus. 

Trump has famously refused to take responsibility for the crisis, downplayed the dangers of COVID-19, and tried to pass the buck to states for medical supply and equipment shortages. 

Trump has also been slow to invoke the Defense Production Act to compel companies to develop desperately needed medical equipment for states, despite pleas from Democrats. Over the past week, the president has finally begun using the law to force companies like General Motors, General Electric, 3M, and Medtronic to produce ventilators and personal protective equipment, such as masks and respirators.  

Trump also considered abandoning social distancing guidelines by Easter, which contradicted the advice of public health experts. The president has since backtracked, announcing that social distancing measures will be in effect through at least the end of April. 

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The poll also found that an overwhelming 89% of Americans said they were somewhat or very concerned about being infected by the coronavirus, up from 79% two weeks earlier. The virus has infected at least 258,000 Americans and killed more than 6,600, as of Friday afternoon.

The ABC News/Ipsos poll was conducted April 1-2 and surveyed 559 adults. The poll’s margin of error is +/- 4.8 percentage points.