CBS NEWS POLL

Most Feel Good About the Economy, But Not the State of the Country
January 26-29, 2020

Q1. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling his job as president?

TOTAL RESPONDENTS
Total Rep Dem Ind
% % % %
Approve 43 89 9 40
Disapprove 51 10 87 49
Don't know/No answer 6 2 3 11

Q2. Is there anything Donald Trump could do or say as president that could change your mind about his job
performance, or not?

AMONG THOSE WHO SAY APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE IN Q1

Yes, could change my mind 28 29 22 31
No, my mind is made up 70 69 76 65
Don't know/No answer 2 2 2 3

Q3. Which do you think should be the top priority for the country right now?

Economy and jobs 27 37 16 30

Health care 24 21 24 26
Impeachment of President Trump 16 2 30 15
Immigration 14 26 8 12
Climate change 9 3 14 10
Trade 3 8 2 2
Something else 3 3 1 3
Don't know/No answer 3 1 4 3

Q4. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling foreign policy?

Approve 41 84 6 40
Disapprove 53 12 90 52
Don't know/No answer 6 4 4 8

Q5. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling the economy?

Approve 57 94 26 58
Disapprove 36 5 67 33
Don't know/No answer 6 1 7 9

Q6. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling the issue of immigration?

Approve 40 83 8 37
Disapprove 55 12 91 56
Don't know/No answer 5 4 1 8
Q7. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling trade with other countries?

Approve 45 87 12 45
Disapprove 46 9 81 43
Don't know/No answer 9 5 7 13

Q8. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the Republicans in Congress are handling their job?

Approve 36 72 12 31
Disapprove 57 25 85 56
Don't know/No answer 8 4 3 13

Q9. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the Democrats in Congress are handling their job?

Approve 35 5 69 29
Disapprove 58 94 25 60
Don't know/No answer 7 2 6 11

Q10. How would you rate the condition of the national economy these days? Is it very good, fairly good, fairly bad
or very bad?

Very good 24 53 7 20
Fairly good 51 41 56 54
Fairly bad 14 3 22 15
Very bad 9 2 13 9
Don't know/No answer 1 1 1 2

Q11. Would you say Donald Trump’s policies are mostly responsible, partially responsible, or not at all responsible
for the current state of the nation’s economy?

Mostly 39 70 21 34
Partially 40 25 44 46
Not at all 19 4 33 17
Don't know/No answer 2 1 2 3

Q12. How would you describe the State of the Union today? Do you feel things in the U.S. are great, good but not
great, fair but not bad, or bad?

Great 10 25 2 8
Good, but not great 34 49 19 34
Fair, but not bad 34 20 40 37
Bad 22 4 37 21
Don't know/No answer 1 1 1 *
Q13. Looking ahead, are you generally optimistic or pessimistic about the condition of the national economy over
the next twelve months?

TOTAL RESPONDENTS
Total Rep Dem Ind
% % % %
Optimistic 68 90 54 66
Pessimistic 26 7 39 29
Don't know/No answer 5 3 7 5

Q14. Looking ahead, are you generally optimistic or pessimistic about America’s standing in the world over the
next twelve months?

Optimistic 59 85 32 62
Pessimistic 36 12 61 33
Don't know/No answer 5 3 7 5

Q15. Whether or not you agree with his policies, has Donald Trump mostly done what he said he would do as
president, or has he mostly not done what he said he would do?

Mostly done what he said he would 57 93 30 56

Mostly not done what he said he would 38 6 65 37
Don't know/No answer 5 1 5 7

Q16. So far, do you think Donald Trump's presidency has helped to bring different groups of Americans together,
has helped to divide Americans, or hasn’t it made much difference?

Bring together 17 41 1 15
Divide 54 19 85 52
Not much difference 26 37 12 30
Don't know/No answer 3 4 2 3

Q17. Do you think the policies of the Trump administration have made the United States safer from terrorism, less
safe from terrorism, or have the policies of the Trump administration not affected the safety of the United States
from terrorism?
Safer 39 79 10 36
Less safe 40 7 71 37
No effect 18 11 16 23
Don't know/No answer 3 2 2 4

Q18. How much do you think Donald Trump cares about the needs and problems of people like yourself--a lot,
some, not much, or not at all?

A lot 28 66 4 23
Some 17 25 8 19
Not much 15 4 20 18
Not at all 39 5 68 39
Don't know/No answer 1 * * 1
Q19. Which of these comes closest to your opinion: Iran is a threat to the United States that requires military
action now, Iran is a threat that can be contained for now, or Iran is not a threat to the United States at this time.

TOTAL RESPONDENTS
Total Rep Dem Ind
% % % %
Threat requiring military action now 14 22 10 12
Threat that can be contained 64 67 66 61
Not a threat at this time 17 7 19 22
Don't know/No answer 5 4 5 5

Q20. So far, do you think the Senate impeachment trial of Donald Trump is being conducted fairly, unfairly, or is it
too soon to say?

Fairly 19 15 26 16
Unfairly 38 52 33 35
Too soon to say 40 31 38 45
Don't know/No answer 3 3 4 3

Q21. Do you think the impeachment matter will help Congressional Democrats politically, hurt Congressional
Democrats politically, or won’t it have much effect?

Will help Congressional Democrats

politically 17 5 36 11
Will hurt Congressional Democrats
politically 41 75 19 38
Won't have much effect 37 18 41 46
Don't know/No answer 4 2 5 5

Q22. Do you think the impeachment matter will help Donald Trump politically, hurt Donald Trump politically, or
won’t it have much effect?

Will help Trump politically 28 50 11 27

Will hurt Trump politically 25 8 39 24
Won't have much effect 43 39 44 44
Don't know/No answer 4 2 5 5

Unweighted Weighted
Total Respondents 1202

Total Republicans 344 298

Total Democrats 342 362
Total independents 516 542