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Americans' Views of Impeachment, Trump's Record on Issues
Politics

Americans' Views of Impeachment, Trump's Record on Issues

by and

Story Highlights

  • 52% favor their senators convicting Donald Trump; 45% do not
  • 51% think the U.S. made progress on the economy with Trump in office
  • 62% say the country lost ground on the federal debt while he was president

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As former President Donald Trump's second Senate impeachment trial is about to begin, a new Â鶹´«Ã½AV poll finds a slim majority of Americans (52%) saying they would like their senators to vote to convict him. Americans tilted against conviction in his first impeachment trial a little over a year ago.

Americans' Preferences for Their Senators' Votes in the Impeachment Trials of Donald Trump, 2020 vs. 2021
Vote in favor of convicting Vote against convicting
% %
Jan 21-Feb 2, 2021 52 45
Jan 2-15, 2020 46 51
GALLUP

The same poll finds the 45th president getting mixed reviews as to whether the country made progress or lost ground on 18 issues during his term. He is largely seen as presiding over progress on the economy, national defense and energy, but losing ground on numerous issues -- chiefly, the federal debt and race relations.

Â鶹´«Ã½AV's Jan. 21-Feb. 2 poll was conducted after the House of Representatives voted on Jan. 13 to impeach Trump for "incitement of insurrection" related to the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Trump is the only president in U.S. history to be impeached twice.

Slim Majority Favor Convicting Trump in His Second Impeachment Trial

Fifty-two percent of Americans would like their senators to vote to convict Trump, while 45% prefer their senators find him not guilty and 3% are unsure.

The public is slightly more supportive of convicting Trump now than they were in January 2020 just before his first Senate trial, after he was impeached for withholding congressionally approved foreign aid to Ukraine to secure a political favor and for obstructing Congress in its investigation of the matter. At that point, 46% said they favored conviction and 51% did not. Trump was ultimately acquitted in the first trial that could have resulted in his removal from office had he been convicted.

Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents are more supportive of conviction this time than they were in 2020, as 89% favor it and 7% oppose it. In 2020, 81% favored conviction and 17% opposed.

For their part, 88% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents currently oppose Trump's conviction, and 10% favor it. These readings are similar to January 2020.

Partisans' Preferences for Their Senators' Votes in the Impeachment Trials of Donald Trump, 2020 vs. 2021
Vote in favor of convicting Vote against convicting
% %
Jan 21-Feb 2, 2021
Democrats/Democratic leaners 89 7
Republicans/Republican leaners 10 88
Jan 2-15, 2020
Democrats/Democratic leaners 81 17
Republicans/Republican leaners 12 86
GALLUP

Looking back at the only other postwar president to be impeached, Bill Clinton, far fewer Americans supported his conviction at the beginning of his trial: 32% wanted their senators to vote to convict and remove him from office, while 63% favored acquittal.

Americans See Progress and Setbacks During Trump's Term

Although a slight majority of Americans favor Trump's conviction in his current impeachment trial, about half also believe the country made progress in two important areas over the four years he served as president. More also see progress than regression in another five areas.

  • In spite of the historic economic disruption caused by the pandemic in 2020, 51% of Americans perceive the country made progress on the economy over the past four years, outweighing the percentage who say it lost ground (38%).
  • Americans' assessment of national defense and the military is even more positive, with 49% saying the U.S. made progress and only about half as many (24%) saying it lost ground.
  • Positive evaluations outweigh negative ones by more than 10 percentage points for energy (46% see progress and 28% see decline) and the situation in Afghanistan (35% vs. 24%).
  • The balance of opinion is also marginally positive with respect to terrorism, taxes, and the situation for gay and lesbian Americans.

Issues on Which Americans Think the U.S. Made More Progress Than Lost Ground With Trump in Office
I'm going to mention some issues facing the country and ask whether you believe the United States has made progress, stood still or lost ground in each during the last four years, since Donald Trump became president.
Made progress Stood still Lost ground Net*
% % % pct. pts.
National defense and the military 49 26 24 +25
Energy 46 25 28 +18
The economy 51 10 38 +13
The situation in Afghanistan 35 35 24 +11
Terrorism 44 20 35 +9
Taxes 42 25 33 +9
The situation for gay and lesbian Americans 37 28 33 +4
*The percentage saying "made progress" minus the percentage saying "lost ground"
Â鶹´«Ã½AV, Jan. 21-Feb. 2, 2021

But Americans think the country lost more ground than it gained in the other 11 areas rated.

  • They are especially critical of the trajectory of the federal debt and race relations, with roughly six in 10 saying the country lost ground on each -- about three times the level saying it gained ground on the federal debt, and nearly four times the percentage saying it gained ground on race relations.
  • Climate change, the wealth gap, education, the United States' position in the world, immigration and the situation for Black Americans are also perceived as having worsened rather than improved, and by large margins.
  • Americans are more narrowly critical of how crime, healthcare and trade relations with other countries fared under Trump.

Issues on Which Americans Think the U.S. Lost More Ground Than Made Progress With Trump in Office
I'm going to mention some issues facing the country and ask whether you believe the United States has made progress, stood still or lost ground in each during the last four years, since Donald Trump became president.
Made progress Stood still Lost ground Net*
% % % pct. pts.
Trade relations with other countries 38 15 45 -7
Healthcare 32 27 41 -9
Crime 30 26 43 -13
The situation for Black Americans 32 17 49 -17
Immigration 33 14 52 -19
The United States' position in the world 34 8 58 -24
Education 23 29 47 -24
The gap between the wealthy and the less well-off 25 21 54 -29
Climate change 17 32 49 -32
Race relations 23 16 61 -38
The federal debt 16 18 62 -46
*The percentage saying "made progress" minus the percentage saying "lost ground"
Â鶹´«Ã½AV, Jan. 21-Feb. 2, 2021

Recent Presidents Remembered for Different Achievements, Failures

Â鶹´«Ã½AV also measured Americans' views of conditions at the end of Barack Obama's and George W. Bush's second terms, asking whether the country had made progress or lost ground. The table below summarizes net-positive ratings in the 12 areas in which Trump, Obama and Bush were all rated.

Trump's perceived performance exceeds both of his two predecessors' on four issues: national defense, the economy, taxes and terrorism.

The net-negative perception of progress on crime under Trump (-13) ties with Bush's rating, with both ahead of the Obama-era rating. Trump's rating on immigration (-19) ties with Obama's, with both surpassing Bush's rating.

Trump's performance lags his immediate predecessors' on education, race relations and climate change/the environment, with especially low ratings for the latter two. Additionally, his performance lags Obama's on healthcare, the United States' position in the world and energy.

Americans' Views of Progress Made by Recent Presidents While in Office
I'm going to mention some issues facing the country and ask whether you believe the United States has made progress, stood still or lost ground in each during the last [four/eight] years, since [ ... ] became president.
Made progress Stood still Lost ground Net*
% % % pct. pts.
National defense and the military
Donald Trump 49 26 24 +25
Barack Obama 30 28 39 -9
George W. Bush 39 21 36 +3
Energy
Donald Trump 46 25 28 +18
Barack Obama 46 26 23 +23
George W. Bush 21 27 49 -28
The economy
Donald Trump 51 10 38 +13
Barack Obama 42 20 36 +6
George W. Bush 5 7 87 -82
Taxes
Donald Trump 42 25 33 +9
Barack Obama 23 40 34 -11
George W. Bush 16 35 45 -29
Terrorism
Donald Trump 44 20 35 +9
Barack Obama 28 20 49 -21
George W. Bush 40 20 37 +3
Healthcare
Donald Trump 32 27 41 -9
Barack Obama 43 13 43 0
George W. Bush 13 33 52 -39
Crime
Donald Trump 30 26 43 -13
Barack Obama 21 21 56 -35
George W. Bush 25 33 39 -14
Immigration
Donald Trump 33 14 52 -19
Barack Obama 27 27 45 -18
George W. Bush 14 28 51 -37
Education
Donald Trump 23 29 47 -24
Barack Obama 31 28 39 -8
George W. Bush 28 38 42 -14
The United States' position in the world
Donald Trump 34 8 58 -24
Barack Obama 30 19 49 -19
George W. Bush 12 17 69 -57
Climate change/The environment
Donald Trump 17 32 49 -32
Barack Obama 42 20 36 +6
George W. Bush 28 28 42 -14
Race relations
Donald Trump 23 16 61 -38
Barack Obama 25 20 52 -27
George W. Bush 40 31 25 +15
*The percentage saying "made progress" minus the percentage saying "lost ground"

Data on Donald Trump collected Jan. 21-Feb. 2, 2021; data on Barack Obama collected Jan. 2-3, 2017; data on George W. Bush collected Jan. 2-4, 2009
GALLUP

Trump is rated similar to Obama on the wealth gap and trade relations; better than Obama on the situation in Afghanistan; and worse than Obama on the federal debt, the situation for Black Americans, and the situation for lesbian and gay Americans. Trump-Bush comparisons cannot be made on these issues as Â鶹´«Ã½AV did not rate them for Bush.

Americans' Views of Progress Made by Trump and Obama on Six Issues
I'm going to mention some issues facing the country and ask whether you believe the United States has made progress, stood still or lost ground in each during the last [four/eight years], since [ ... ] became president.
Made progress Stood still Lost ground Net*
% % % pct. pts.
The situation in Afghanistan
Donald Trump 35 35 24 +11
Barack Obama 26 26 38 -12
The situation for gay and lesbian Americans
Donald Trump 37 28 33 +4
Barack Obama 68 11 16 +52
Trade relations with other countries
Donald Trump 38 15 45 -7
Barack Obama 32 28 36 -4
The situation for Black Americans
Donald Trump 32 17 49 -17
Barack Obama 30 27 37 -7
The gap between the wealthy and the less well-off
Donald Trump 25 21 54 -29
Barack Obama 14 34 48 -34
The federal debt
Donald Trump 16 18 62 -46
Barack Obama 21 18 57 -36
*The percentage saying "made progress" minus the percentage saying "lost ground"

Data on Donald Trump collected Jan. 21-Feb. 2, 2021; data on Barack Obama collected Jan. 2-3, 2017
GALLUP

Extreme Partisan Differences in Trump-Era Progress Ratings

As would be expected, Republicans and Republican-leaning independents have a net-positive view of the changes that have occurred in almost all of the 18 issues on which the Trump era was rated in the new poll. But there is a wide range of positive evaluations, from +84 for the economy to +18 for both race relations and climate change. The federal debt is the only issue on which Republicans think that more ground has been lost than gained under Trump.

Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents perceive the country has lost ground in all 18 areas over the past four years, with their most negative views reserved for race relations, the United States' position in the world and immigration.

Partisans' Views of Net Progress Made While Trump Was in Office
Figures represent the the percentage saying "made progress" minus the percentage saying "lost ground," among Republicans/Republican-leaning independents and Democrats/Democratic-leaning independents.
Net progress: Republicans Net progress: Democrats
pct. pts. pct. pts.
The economy +84 -41
National defense and the military +78 -19
Energy +73 -30
Taxes +71 -44
Terrorism +67 -37
Trade relations with other countries +63 -57
The situation in Afghanistan +56 -26
Healthcare +51 -65
The situation for Black Americans +49 -75
Immigration +46 -78
The situation for gay and lesbian Americans +46 -40
The United States' position in the world +43 -79
Crime +35 -53
The gap between the wealthy and the less well-off +28 -76
Education +25 -61
Climate change +18 -77
Race relations +18 -81
The federal debt -14 -74
GALLUP, Jan. 21-Feb. 2, 2021

Notably, Republicans' strongly positive ratings of Trump on his top-rated issues -- as well as their desire that he not be convicted in his impeachment trial -- are not necessarily an endorsement of Trump maintaining a leadership role in the country. Asked specifically about Trump's role in the Republican Party going forward, 60% of Republicans favor him continuing to be the leader, while 38% would rather the party have a new leader.

Bottom Line

Trump's legacy is likely to be forever colored by his second impeachment trial and the events leading to it. But history will also judge him by the progress or lack thereof made on a variety of issues facing the country during his term.

Historians' assessments remain to be seen, but in Trump's first days out of office, half of Americans (fueled mostly by Republicans) give him good reviews on the two issues that normally define a presidency: the economy and national defense. Not only does he receive net-positive ratings on these, but his ratings well exceed his immediate predecessors'.

However, along with two impeachment trials, Trump's net-negative ratings on the federal debt, climate change and race relations could match or dominate those on the economy and national defense in how history -- historians and average Americans alike -- ultimately judge this presidency.

As he was leaving office, Americans were most likely to think history would judge Trump as a "poor" president. And as he departed, 34% of Americans approved of the job he was doing, an inauspicious sign for his legacy since a president's popularity as they leave office generally influences their reputation for years if not decades to follow.

View complete question responses and trends (PDF download).

Learn more about how the works.


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