A new US poll shows President Joe Biden’s approval rating has hit a record low since he assumed office in January.
Over half of registered American voters, or 52%, disapprove of Biden’s job performance, with his approval rating at its lowest since taking the office, according to a fresh Morning Consult poll published on Wednesday.
“Over half of voters (52 percent) disapprove of Biden’s job performance, up 9 points since the June survey, while 45 percent approve, down by the same margin. It’s part of a slow but steady decline since the summer amid concerns about inflation, the COVID-19 delta variant, and the withdrawal from Afghanistan,” the pollster said.
Forty percent of the respondents — an increase of 12 percentage points from the June survey — said that Biden’s administration had accomplished less than they expected since January, while only 15% said his achievements exceeded their expectations, compared to the 19% in June.
The survey was conducted 2-4 October among nearly 2,000 registered voters.
The collapse in Democratic President Biden’s approval rating follows the US chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in August, which prompted heavy criticism for failing to prepare for the Taliban as the group retook the county and its capital Kabul immediately after the US pullout.
Also last week, Democrats in Congress failed to agree on two influential bills that form part of Biden’s “Build Back Better” agenda, and which he campaigned on last year.
Democrats, with small majorities in both the House and Senate, risk failing to pass Biden’s main domestic agenda, and large-scale changes to social care, education, the environment, and infrastructure – with investments worth trillions of US dollars.
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A new Quinnipiac poll also gives President Biden the lowest approval rating of his presidency so far.
Biden receives a negative 38 – 53 percent job approval rating, receiving heavy blows on foreign policy on immigration. When Americans were asked about his handling of foreign policy, 34 percent approve, while 58 percent disapprove.
And, on immigration issues, 67 percent disapprove, while only 25 percent of the respondents approve.
On the economy, roughly one-quarter of Americans (29 percent) describe the economy as excellent (2 percent) or good (27 percent), while 69 percent describe it as not so good (35 percent) or poor (34 percent).
This is a drop from May when 38 percent described the economy as excellent or good and 59 percent described it as not so good or poor.
More than half of Americans (55 – 42 percent) also said the Biden administration is not competent in running the government.
“Battered on trust, doubted on leadership, and challenged on overall competency, President Biden is being hammered on all sides as his approval rating continues its downward slide to a number not seen since the tough scrutiny of the Trump administration,” said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy.
