Eight In 10 Americans Believe the US Headed in Wrong Direction: Poll

By Staff, Agencies

More Americans view negatively the direction of the United States than at any point during Republican Donald Trump's tenure as president, according to a new poll.

The poll from the Associated Press and the NORC Centre for Public Affairs Research found that almost eight in 10 Americans believe the country is going in the wrong direction as their nation is confronted with a number of problems, including the coronavirus pandemic, anti-racism protests, and a venomous presidential election.

Only 38 percent of those surveyed see the national economy in a positive light, down nearly half from 67 percent in January, before the pandemic was known to have struck the country.

The Trump administration has long been criticized for its handling of the disease and according to the poll, only 32 percent approve of his response.

Meanwhile, Trump is apparently trying to appeal to his most loyal supporters by taking some measures with just 100 days left before the election on November 3.

He has shifted his tone on the coronavirus pandemic by wearing a mask and describing himself "patriotic" for doing so.

"It will probably, unfortunately, get worse before it gets better," he told reporters at the White House last week, then offered a piece of advice, "Get a mask. Whether you like the mask or not, get a mask. … They have an effect."

The new poll showed that while 81 percent of Republicans approve of Trump’s job performance, only 68 percent of them support his handling of the pandemic.