More American voters disapprove of Joe Biden’s performance as president than are critical of Donald Trump’s record in office, according to a new poll.
The Wall Street Journal survey found just 42 percent of registered U.S. voters approve of Biden’s performance whilst 57 percent disapprove, as opposed to 48 percent and 51 percent for his predecessor. Thus Biden has a net approval rating of minus 15, versus minus 3 for Trump.
Polling shows Trump enjoys a firm lead in the race to secure the Republican Party’s 2024 presidential candidacy, potentially setting up a re-run of the 2020 contest against Biden who is seeking a second term. However the GOP frontrunner’s bid for a White House return could be complicated by his ongoing prosecution in four separate criminal cases, in which he resolutely denies any wrongdoing and has pled not guilty on all counts.
The survey, of 1,500 registered voters between August 24 and 30, is even more stark when broken down between those who “somewhat” and “strongly” approve of each president’s administration.
ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty; James Devaney/GC Images
For Biden just 17 percent “strongly approve” along with 25 percent who “somewhat approve,” versus nine percent for “somewhat disapprove” and a whopping 48 percent for “strongly disapprove,” with the remainder unsure or refusing to answer.
By contrast 32 percent of voters “strongly approve” of Trump’s record in office, with another 16 percent saying they “somewhat approve.” This contrasts with 6 percent for “somewhat disapprove,” 44 percent for “strongly disapprove” while the balance said they didn’t know or chose not to answer.
However when those surveyed were asked if they had a favorable or unfavorable view of each candidate, the Democratic incumbent faired a little better. Both Biden and Trump had a net favorability rating of 39 percent, versus 58 percent who were unfavorable. Similarly 46 percent of voters said they would “definitely” or “probably” vote for Biden, with Trump recording the exact same figure whilst eight percent were undecided.
Worryingly for the 80-year-old Biden, 73 percent of Americans think he is “too old” to run for re-election, versus just 22 percent who disagree. For 77-year-old Trump the corresponding figures are 47 percent and 45 percent.
Newsweek has contacted the White House and Donald Trump for comment, via email and official online media inquiry form respectively.
A number of prominent Democrats, including Senator Tim Kaine and Representative Adam Schiff, have questioned whether Trump is constitutionally eligible to serve a second term in the White House. It follows the publication of a 126-page report by Professors William Baude and Michael Stokes Paulsen, both affiliated with the conservative Federalist Society, which argues the former president is “disqualified” under Article 14 of the constitution because of his “participation in the attempted overthrow of the 2020 presidential election.”
Trump hit back on Monday via his Truth Social website, claiming “almost all legal scholars have voiced opinions that the 14th Amendment has no legal basis or standing relative to the upcoming 2024 Presidential Election.”
He added: “It is just another ‘trick’ being used by the Radical Left Communists, Marxists, and Fascists, to again steal an Election that their candidate, the WORST, MOST INCOMPETENT, & MOST CORRUPT President in U.S. history, is incapable of winning in a Free and Fair Election.”