New Poll Shows Americans Confident Trump Will Keep Campaign Promises
Americans are eagerly anticipating the start of Trump 2.0 this month.
A recent Gallup poll revealed that an impressive 68% of Americans believe Trump will successfully tackle illegal immigration.
“Expectations are highest that Trump will control illegal immigration, which 68% of U.S. adults predict he’ll do,” the pollsters noted. “Smaller majorities believe he will reduce unemployment, keep the country safe from terrorism, improve the economy, keep the country out of war, cut people’s taxes or reduce the crime rate.”
Additionally, 55% of those surveyed expressed confidence that the president-elect will prevent the U.S. from becoming entangled in foreign wars.
“Far more Americans now than in 2016 believe Trump will keep the nation out of war, rising 17 percentage points to 55%,” the report stated. “By contrast, in 2016, the majority (57%) doubted he would keep the country out of war. This shift likely reflects Trump’s claims that the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas wars would not have occurred had he been president, that he will end both quickly, and that he started ‘no new wars’ in his first term.”
Respondents also indicated optimism that Trump will “increase respect for the United States abroad.”
After securing victory in the 2024 presidential election, Donald Trump wasted no time making his presence felt. Within days, he personally contacted Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to advocate for resolving the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. He also made headlines by publicly opposing a Democrat-backed spending bill as Congress faced a looming government shutdown.
Trump’s transition team and prospective Cabinet members have emphasized their readiness to act swiftly, unveiling a bold strategy to address a broad spectrum of issues.
Trump and his allies argue that the Republican control of the White House and Congress provides a clear mandate to pursue his policy agenda.
The American public seems to agree: A December 27 Gallup poll showed that Trump is entering the new year with a favorable approval rating. According to the survey, 51% of Americans approve of his handling of the transition, compared to 44% who disapprove.
Gallup pointed out that Trump’s approval rating during his 2016 transition was evenly split with his disapproval rating, making this year’s figures an improvement. However, the pollsters noted that “all incoming presidents since Bill Clinton had transition approval ratings of at least 61 percent,” with disapproval rates significantly lower.
This comparison underscores the challenges Trump faces in a deeply divided nation. The polarization, which began with Trump’s unexpected 2016 victory, has been exacerbated by entrenched Washington elites and the so-called “uniparty” establishment.
One notable improvement in Trump’s approval ratings this time is the overwhelming support among Republicans, with 97% expressing approval, compared to 86% in 2016.
However, his overall ratings remain affected by the views of the opposition party. Before 2016, approximately half of the opposing party’s supporters typically approved of a president-elect’s transition. Since then, both Trump and Biden have seen significant drops in these figures, with Trump’s approval among Democrats now below 20%, according to Newsweek’s analysis of Gallup data.
“The American people reelected President Trump by a resounding margin, giving him a mandate to implement the promises he made on the campaign trail. He will deliver,” said Karoline Leavitt, spokesperson for the Trump-Vance Transition.
Former Democratic Representative Tim Ryan of Ohio added: “The Dems got pinned as the status quo party on inflation, instability, insecurity, and every other issue facing working people. Trump was the change candidate in a year when 65 percent of people thought we were on the wrong track.”