Poll: Approval of economy, security rise after Trump’s first year
Americans have a rosier outlook on the economy and national security than they did a year ago.
The annual Gallup Mood of the Nation poll measured the strongest increases in how Americans feel about military strength, the nation's security from terrorism and the state of the economy over those same issues at the beginning of 2017.
Nearly 8 in 10 – 78 percent – say they are satisfied with the nation's military strength and preparedness, an increase of 12 points from last year. Satisfaction with how secure the country is from terrorism rose a similar 13 percentage points, from 50 percent to 63 percent.
On the economy, 58 percent of Americans say they are satisfied at the end of President Donald Trump's first year in office, up 12 points from 46 percent in the last days of President Barack Obama's administration.
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The improving economic picture is reflected in other indexes that find consumer confidence near a 17-year high, a continuation of a strong rising trend going back to 2011, buoyed by soaring stock markets and improving sentiment surrounding the Republicans' tax cut bill that passed in December.
The results showed swings in partisan satisfaction: Approval on the economy among Republicans increased 57 points from last year while dropping 14 points among Democrats. Republican approval also rose 31 points on terrorism and 30 points on military preparedness.
In other, areas, however, Americans are less satisfied than they were when Obama departed.
The percentage of people who are satisfied with the availability of affordable health care dropped 8 points, from 39 percent in 2017 to 31 percent this month.
Americans have also become less satisfied with the quality of the environment, falling 7 points from 52 percent to 45 percent. And approval of America's standing in the world has similarly dropped 7 percentage points, from 45 percent to 38 percent.
The poll was conducted from Jan. 2-7 and has a margin of error of 4 percentage points.
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Copyright 2017 U.S. News & World Report
