A recent Gallup survey found that fewer Americans believe President Biden is competent at his job compared to four years ago. While Biden is still seen as more likable, caring, and honest than Donald Trump, fewer than half of Americans believe he can effectively manage the government, cares about people like them, and is honest and trustworthy. In contrast, more Americans believe Trump can effectively manage the government, be a strong and decisive leader, and show good judgment in a crisis.
The survey results also showed that there was a split along party lines in how Democrats, Republicans, and Independents viewed the two presidents. A majority of Democrats thought Biden was competent at managing the government, while a majority of Republicans believed Trump could effectively manage the government. Interestingly, some cross-party ratings showed that a small percentage of Republicans found Biden likable, while a small percentage of Democrats thought Trump was a strong and decisive leader.
Biden’s favorability rating has decreased to 41%, down from the end of the 2020 campaign, while Trump’s favorability rating is at 42%, down three percentage points from November 2020. The upcoming 2024 election is gearing up to be a historic rematch between a sitting president and a former president, which is a rare occurrence in American political history. The last such contest took place in 1912 between Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft.
In the current election race, Trump and Biden are running closely against each other, with Trump slightly leading in the national polls and in six of the top seven battleground states. Trump aims to be the second president elected to non-consecutive terms in U.S. history, following Grover Cleveland. The survey was conducted between March 1 and 20, 2024, among 1,016 adults, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
The results of the survey show that Americans’ perceptions of Biden and Trump have changed since the previous election, with more individuals expressing doubts about Biden’s competence and favorability. While Biden still maintains a lead over Trump in certain areas like being likable, caring, and honest, Trump is viewed as a stronger leader and more capable of handling government effectively. The upcoming election promises to be a closely contested battle between these two polarizing figures in American politics.
