A recent Echelon Insights poll shows that voters not only view Republicans more favorably than Democrats but also largely support Donald Trump’s transition. Despite efforts by Democrats and the media to generate controversy, Trump is enjoying significant goodwill, with 53% of registered voters approving of his transition and 40% disapproving. Interestingly, while Trump remains personally unpopular, voters appear to want him to succeed.
The poll wasn’t a fluke.
“Most Americans approve of President-elect Donald Trump’s handling of his administration’s transition back into the White House — and are bullish about the next four years, a new poll shows,” reports The New York Post. “A sizeable 59% of Americans support his moves so far, as he angles to stack up his next administration with “disrupters,” while 41% disapprove, according to the CBS News/YouGov survey.”
Trump, 78, rounded out his cabinet selections last week, though he will still need to navigate the Senate confirmation process to officially get them on his team.
Health and Human Services Secretary-designate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. drew the most positive reactions from poll respondents, with 47% ranking him as a “good” pick compared to 34% saying he was “not good.”
Secretary of State-designate Marco Rubio garnered 44% “good” to 25% “not good,” Director of National Intelligence-designate Tulsi Gabbard scored 36% to 27%, and Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth notched 33% to 28%.
The least favorable of the cabinet picks was former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), who ended up withdrawing as Trump’s choice to serve as US attorney general over a sex scandal. He nabbed a 30% “good” to 38% “not good” rating.
Many of Trump’s picks have come under fire in the media since being announced. Kennedy’s past skepticism of vaccine safety standards has drawn blowback from health experts and Gabbard’s meeting with Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad in 2017 has sparked concerns from the intelligence community.
Additionally, Hegseth has faced resurfaced sexual-assault allegations that he denied.
But those various controversies appear to have had a limited effect on public opinion.
While Trump has hinted at bypassing the Senate confirmation process for political appointees, the poll shows that Americans oppose the idea. According to the survey, 76% of respondents want confirmation hearings for Trump’s picks, including 55% of Republicans.
The poll also found that 51% believe loyalty to Trump is a key qualification for his appointees, with 81% of Republicans agreeing. As Trump’s potential return to the White House looms, public opinion on the nation’s future is divided along party lines. Among those surveyed, 23% are excited, 30% optimistic, 23% concerned, and 23% scared about what Trump’s presidency might bring. Notably, 54% of Republicans feel excited, while 50% of Democrats express fear.
When it comes to the 2024 election results, 31% of respondents say they’re happy, while 24% feel satisfied, 23% are dissatisfied, and 21% admit to being angry. Economic concerns play a major role in Trump’s support, with 44% expecting him to bring down food prices, 35% anticipating an increase, and 21% predicting no change.
