Donald Trump’s first year in office has certainly had an emotional impact on Americans — and for many, the main emotion was disgust.
According to a new NBC/WSJ poll, when asked how they felt about Trump’s first year in office, 38 percent of those polled said they were “disgusted.” Twenty-four percent said “scared,” and 23 percent said they were “hopeful.” The poll also reveals that 51 percent of respondents “strongly disapprove” of Trump’s job performance; only 39 percent approve.
As NBC points out, the percentage of people who registered feeling “disgusted” increased from last year, when only 25 percent of respondents who were asked the same question chose “disgusted.”
“At the time of his inauguration, ‘hopeful’ was the most used word about the 2016 results,” Democratic pollster Peter Hart told NBC. “But at the end of his first year, ‘disgust’ was the word most cited about him.”
Hart told NBC that Trump’s “positions on some issues play better than his personal character."
When poll respondents were asked which “accomplishments” made them feel positive about Trump being in office, 20 percent said a strong economy and 13 percent said “putting America first.”
It’s no surprise Trump has high disapproval ratings and that respondents of the poll are feeling “disgusted.” Trump’s first year as president has been anything but a smooth ride. From his xenophobic stance on immigration to his careless threats to North Korea to the rumors of affairs and sexual assault, "disgust" seems justified.
Indeed, separate recent polls speak to a comparable national mood. Recent presidential approval ratings, polled by Gallup, put Trump at a historic low with a 38 percent average approval rating. Previous presidents with low first-year average approval ratings include Bill Clinton, who at 49 percent approval was still 11 percent higher than Trump. In December, Trump ranked second on Gallup’s annual “Most Admired” list; his arch nemesis, Barack Obama, ranked first. Generally the incumbent president is the winner, Gallup noted.
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