President Trump has hit his best-ever job approval rating, according to an ABC News-Washington Post poll released on Sunday that also showed a majority of Americans still disapprove of how he’s doing on a range of issues.
Forty-four percent of Americans said they approve of Mr. Trump’s job performance, while 53% said they disapprove, according to the poll. The 44% approval rating is 5 points better than in April and 2 points better than a peak from early on in his administration.
Fifty-one percent said they approve of the president’s handling of the economy, but he’s underwater on a range of other issues, including health care, immigration, foreign policy and climate change.
About two-thirds of respondents also said that Mr. Trump “has acted in a way that’s unpresidential” since taking office, with 28 percent saying his behavior is “fitting and proper” for a president.
In match-ups with potential Democratic rivals, Mr. Trump trailed former Vice President Joseph R. Biden by 14 points, 55% to 41%.
He also trailed Sens. Kamala D. Harris of California, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont, along with Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana, by between 4 and 8 points.
Among a narrower pool of registered voters, Mr. Trump was still 10 points behind Mr. Biden, trailing 53% to 43%. But he was running neck-and-neck against the other four candidates.
Another test question pitted Mr. Trump against “a Democratic candidate who you regard as a socialist.” Mr. Sanders is a self-described “democratic socialist,” and the GOP has worked to link Democrats to socialism during the campaign.
Among all adults, Mr. Trump and the “socialist” were tied at 46% apiece. Among registered voters, Mr. Trump led by 6 points, 49% to 43%.
The survey of 1,008 adults was taken from June 28 to July 1 and has a margin of error of 3.5 points.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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