Overview
- Sixty-nine percent of U.S. adults say President Trump is trying to use more authority than previous presidents, and 49 percent call that bad for the country.
- Two-thirds say he has used his office to punish opponents and 61 percent say he has improperly enriched family or friends.
- Public evaluations are mixed, with 39 percent saying he has improved how government works and 60 percent saying his administration is not open or transparent.
- Coverage ties these views to White House-directed layoffs through the Department of Government Efficiency, reported federal workforce reductions of about 8.7 percent, and efforts to deploy the National Guard to Washington, D.C., and three states.
- Pew surveyed 3,455 adults from Sept. 22–28 with a 1.9-point margin of error, as Trump’s approval hovered near 44 percent and James Comey entered a not-guilty plea in federal court.