Why People Love And Hate Trump

A Washington Post/ABC News poll released Sunday put President Trump's six-month approval rating at a historic 70-year low amid controversy over connections between the White House and Russia. Interestingly, most of Trump's detractors actually dislike him due to his personality and character, rather than specific issues and policy, according to a Gallup poll published late last week. When the same research was conducted in 2009, it found that Obama's disapprovers primarily lacked faith in the president's policy and stance on specific issues. Gallup found that people who approve of Trump generally give him the thumbs up on a range of broad issues including the president's general performance, as well as policies and personality.

Broken down, the polling found that 29 percent of disapprovers said that Trump is either not presidential, has a bad temperament, is arrogant or obnoxious, Inexperience was cited by 10 percent while 7 percent of those polled said he is doing a poor job. When it comes to approval, 12 percent of respondents said Trump is doing a good job or the best he can under difficult circumstances. 11 percent said that the president is keeping his promises and 10 percent think he is doing what's best for the United States.

Trump's low approval ratings are being driven by his unconventional style and non-normative pattern of White House behaviour rather than his actual policies and views. According to Gallup, the president is highly unlikely to alter his behavior and style, meaning his detractors are unlikely to change their minds about him. However, this could be influenced if Trump enjoys some major international and domestic successes that overshadow his behaviour.