President Donald Trump has reached a record-high approval rating in the midst of the coronavirus crisis.

The reputable polling organization, Gallup, released a poll which measured President Trump’s approval rating at 49%, a tie for his highest ever since taking office back in 2017. The last time President Trump had a 49% approval rating, according to Gallup, was in February 2020, right after the Democrats held highly controversial impeachment proceedings against him. 

Gallup also found that only 45% of Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of the presidency, which is three points lower than Gallup’s previous record-low for President Trump’s disapproval rating.

“Independents’ and Democrats’ approval of Trump’s performance has increased slightly since earlier this month, tying as the best he has registered to date among each group,” Gallup said, explaining the results. “Trump’s response to the novel coronavirus pandemic may be behind his higher overall approval rating. Americans give the president generally positive reviews for his handling of the situation, with 60% approving and 38% disapproving.”

According to Real Clear Politics’ (RCP) average of polls, President Trump average approval rating sits at 47%, with just 49.5% disapproving of his handling of the presidency. President Trump has never before had a 47% approval rating in the RCP average. His previous best was 46.3% approval on February 25, 2020.

The President was handed additional good news on March 25 when Baldwin Wallace University released a poll showing President Trump tying or defeating Vice President Joe Biden in the crucial states of Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. President Trump bested Biden 47.2% to 42.9% in Ohio, 46.5% to 44.5% in Pennsylvania and practically tied the former Vice President 44.8% to 44.9% in Wisconsin.

A crisis often leads Americans to unify behind the country’s leaders, which may also help explain Trump’s rise in his approval rating. For example, after the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001, President George W. Bush’s approval rating soared 35% higher, the largest surge in support in American history, according to Gallup. 

As we move toward the November election, and as the fight against the coronavirus and the slowdown of the American economy continue, it remains to be seen how American’s view of the President will shift.

 

You can follow this author on Twitter @MettlerZachary