The surveys from NBC News and the Washington Post show record-high disapproval of President Biden and positive momentum for President Trump.
Two polls released over the weekend produced bad news for President Joe Biden, with both showing that Americans largely disapprove of his job performance, and one showing him losing a hypothetical rematch against former President Donald Trump—by a substantial margin.
According to a Washington Post-ABC News poll (pdf) released on Sept. 24, among registered voters, President Trump would trounce his successor 52–42 percent if the 2024 presidential election were held now.
Another key finding was that President Biden has a disapproval rating of 56 percent—the highest of his presidency—and an approval rating of just 37 percent.
On the other hand, public approval of President Trump’s job performance has increased since he left office, spiking to 48 percent, from 38 percent on Jan. 13, 2021. The latest rating matches his highest recorded during his presidency on March 25, 2020.
And while his disapproval rating is still higher at 49 percent, that number marks a sharp decrease from the 60 percent disapproval he had following the Jan. 6 Capitol breach.
Meanwhile, an NBC News poll (pdf) released the same day showed the same level of disapproval—56 percent—for President Biden’s job performance, but had the Trump-Biden matchup in a neck-and-neck tie, with each garnering 46 percent of the vote.
However, that result marks an improvement for President Trump since June, when the same poll showed him losing the race 45–49 percent.
Additionally, both polls agreed the 45th president is gaining ground with Republican voters as he seeks the party’s presidential nomination for a third time.
According to NBC News, his primary support has jumped from 51 percent in June to 59 percent, widening his lead over his nearest competitor, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, to a whopping 43 points. The Post has him at 54 percent—up 11 points from May—with a 39-point advantage.
Doubts and Concerns
The two surveys’ respondents gave President Biden low marks across the board for his handling of key issues.
By Samantha Flom
