AP-NORC poll: Trump's approval still weak despite economy

NEW YORK (AP) — About 6 in 10 Americans disapprove of President Donald Trump's overall job performance, according to a new poll released Thursday by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, which finds some support for the president's handling of the U.S. economy but gives him weak marks on other major issues.

Just 36 percent of Americans approve of the way Trump is handling his job as president; 62 percent disapprove.

The numbers may be ugly for a first-term president facing reelection in 14 months, but they are remarkably consistent. Trump's approval rating has never dipped below 32 percent or risen above 42 percent in AP-NORC polls since he took office. By comparison, President Barack Obama's approval never dropped below 40 percent in polling by Gallup.

The poor grades extend to Trump's handling of several key issues: immigration, health care, foreign policy and guns. Views of the Republican president's handling of the economy remain a relative bright spot despite fears of a potential recession, but at least 60 percent of Americans disapprove of his performance on other issues. The consistency suggests the president's weak standing with the American people is calcified after two years of near-constant political crises and divisive rhetoric at the White House.

The new survey was conducted shortly after back-to-back mass shootings in Texas and Ohio left dozens dead and renewed calls from Americans for answers from their elected officials. Trump pledged immediate action in the immediate aftermath of the attacks but has since shifted back and forth on whether to push for stronger background checks on people seeking to buy guns.

"He does whatever's politically expedient. He's awful," said 60-year-old Robert Saunders, a retired police officer from New Jersey who's not registered with either major political party and vowed not to vote for Trump in 2020.

According to the poll, 36% approve of Trump on gun policy, while 61 percent disapprove, numbers that mirror his broader approval rating.

In response to the shootings, Trump said that he would pursue policy options with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and that he would like to see "very meaningful background checks." Earlier this week, however, Trump said the U.S. already has significantly strict background checks in place and that many of his supporters are gun owners. On Wednesday, however, he again backed tighter background checks while speaking to reporters at the White House.