Trump Begins Second Term Stronger Than The First, 6 In 10 Voters Approve Of Sending U.S. Troops To Southern Border, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Majority Disapprove Of Elon Musk's Role In Trump Administration

President Donald Trump is starting his second term in the White House with a job approval rating ten points higher than at the start of his first presidential term, according to a Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pea-ack) University national poll of registered voters released today.

Just over a week after being sworn into office, 46 percent of voters approve of the job Trump is doing, while 43 percent disapprove and 11 percent did not offer an opinion. In Quinnipiac University's January 26, 2017 national poll, 36 percent approved of the job he was doing, while 44 percent disapproved and 19 percent did not offer an opinion.

In today's poll, Republicans 86 - 4 percent approve of the job Trump is doing, while Democrats 86 - 8 percent disapprove. Among independents, 41 percent approve, while 46 percent disapprove and 13 percent did not offer an opinion.

A majority of voters (54 percent) say they are generally optimistic about the next four years with Trump as president, while 42 percent are generally pessimistic. These results are nearly identical to a January 26, 2017 Quinnipiac University poll conducted following Trump's first inauguration.

They are split on the way he is handling the staffing of his administration, with 43 percent approving, 45 percent disapproving and 12 percent not offering an opinion.

Voters are also split on the way he is handling immigration issues, with 47 percent approving, 46 percent disapproving and 7 percent not offering an opinion.

IMMIGRATION & DEPORTATIONS

A majority of voters (60 percent) approve of sending U.S. troops to the southern border with Mexico to enforce border security, while 36 percent disapprove.

Republicans (95 - 5 percent) approve, while Democrats (68 - 29 percent) disapprove. Among independents, 57 percent approve, while 40 percent disapprove. Among voters in military households, 70 percent approve, while 26 percent disapprove.

"The huge deployment of boots on the ground is not to a dicey, far away war theater, but to the American border. And a majority of voters are just fine with that," said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy.

More than 4 in 10 voters (44 percent) support deporting all undocumented immigrants and sending them back to their home countries, while 39 percent only support deporting undocumented immigrants convicted of violent crimes, and 6 percent oppose both scenarios, with 10 percent not offering an opinion.

Voters were also asked about birthright citizenship, which allows all children born in the United States to be automatically granted U.S. citizenship. A majority of voters (61 percent) think that all children born in the U.S. should continue to be automatically granted citizenship, while 30 percent think this should be changed so that children of non-citizens are no longer automatically granted citizenship.

An overwhelming majority of voters (70 percent) support the H-1B Visa program that allows companies to hire skilled workers from other countries who meet certain requirements, while 18 percent oppose the program and 12 percent did not offer an opinion.

ELON MUSK

Voters 53 - 39 percent disapprove of Elon Musk playing a prominent role in the Trump administration, similar to Quinnipiac University's December 18 poll.

Democrats (90 - 6 percent) and independents (56 - 36 percent) disapprove, while Republicans (73 - 19 percent) approve of Musk's role.

"Elon Musk, a powerful and pivotal player in Trump's inner circle, gets a shaky assessment from voters, with women clearly more critical of him than men," added Malloy.

DEMOCRATIC & REPUBLICAN PARTIES

Voters' views of the Democratic Party and Republican Party set new records since the Quinnipiac University Poll began asking voters about the parties in November 2008.

In today's poll, 31 percent of voters have a favorable opinion of the Democratic Party, while 57 percent have an unfavorable opinion. This is the highest percentage of voters having an unfavorable opinion of the Democratic Party since the Quinnipiac University Poll began asking this question.

Forty-three percent of voters have a favorable opinion of the Republican Party, while 45 percent have an unfavorable opinion. This is the highest percentage of voters having a favorable opinion of the Republican Party since the Quinnipiac University Poll began asking this question.

This marks the biggest favorability advantage the Republican Party (43 percent) has held over the Democratic Party (31 percent) since the Quinnipiac University Poll began asking these questions.

TARIFFS

A plurality of voters (48 percent) expects U.S. tariffs on goods made in other countries to hurt the U.S. economy, while 42 percent expect them to help the U.S. economy.

JANUARY 6 PARDONS

Voters 57 - 37 percent disapprove of Trump's actions when he pardoned or commuted the sentences of more than 1,500 people who were involved in the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, including some convicted of violent acts.

Democrats (96 - 3 percent) and independents (60 - 32 percent) disapprove of Trump's actions, while Republicans (74 - 19 percent) approve.

BIDEN PARDONS

Voters 62 - 31 percent disapprove of former President Biden issuing preemptive pardons for five members of his family who haven't been charged with any crimes.

Republicans (87 - 11 percent) and independents (63 - 28 percent) disapprove, while Democrats (58 - 35 percent) approve.

Voters are divided on Biden issuing preemptive pardons for some people who President Trump had targeted for retaliation, with 44 percent disapproving, 42 percent approving, and 14 percent not offering an opinion.

Republicans (74 - 11 percent) disapprove, while Democrats (74 - 16 percent) approve. Independents are split, with 45 percent approving and 43 percent disapproving.

GREENLAND & THE PANAMA CANAL

Voters 55 - 28 percent disapprove of Trump's idea of the United States acquiring Greenland, with 17 percent not offering an opinion.

Voters are divided on Trump's idea of the United States taking back control of the Panama Canal, with 45 percent disapproving, 44 percent approving, and 11 percent not offering an opinion.

MOST URGENT ISSUE

Given a list of nine issues and asked which is the most urgent one facing the country today, the economy (24 percent) tops the list, followed by preserving democracy in the United States (20 percent) and immigration (18 percent). No other issue reached double digits.

Among Republicans, the top issue is immigration (37 percent) followed by the economy (33 percent), with no other issue reaching double digits.

Among Democrats, the top issue is preserving democracy in the United States (35 percent) followed by climate change (18 percent) and the economy (14 percent).

Among independents, the top issues are the economy (24 percent) and preserving democracy in the United States (23 percent), followed by immigration (13 percent).

CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES

Half of voters (50 percent) think climate change played a role in the wildfires in Southern California, while 45 percent think climate change did not play a role in the wildfires.

Democrats (89 - 9 percent) and independents (53 - 40 percent) think climate change played a role, while Republicans (82 - 14 percent) think climate change did not play a role in the wildfires.

When voters were asked how confident they are that their insurance provider would sufficiently compensate them for their losses if they were a victim of a disaster like the Southern California wildfires and lost their home and/or major belongings, 61 percent say they are either not so confident (26 percent) or not confident at all (35 percent), while 35 percent say they are either very confident (9 percent) or somewhat confident (26 percent).

"As the wreckage from the California fires is cleared, a national poll gives the insurance industry a thumbs down, no confidence vote," added Malloy.

1,019 self-identified registered voters nationwide were surveyed from January 23rd - 27th with a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Doug Schwartz, Ph.D. since 1994, conducts independent, non-partisan national and state polls on politics and issues. Surveys adhere to industry best practices and are based on probability-based samples using random digit dialing with live interviewers calling landlines and cell phones.

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