Trump lower than any other president in Gallup's polling history
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Bill Clinton had the previous low mark of 55%. The average first-quarter rating among post-World War II presidents elected to their first term is 61%, with John Kennedy's 74% the highest.
The results are based on Gallup Daily tracking from Jan. 20 through April 19.
During this time, Trump's approval rating ranged from a low of 35% - in the days after Republicans' failed attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act - to a high of 46% shortly after his inauguration.
Gallup's latest estimate of the president's job approval rating, based on April 17-19 interviewing, is 43%.
No president before Trump had an initial approval rating below 50%. His poor debut followed his subpar ratings on other measures during the presidential campaign and his presidential transition.
In mid-February, before the end of Trump's first month, his approval rating briefly fell below 40%, earlier in his presidency than anyone before him.
In the second half of March, Trump had sub-40% job approval more consistently.
Clinton is the only other president to register sub-40% approval ratings in his first year, having done so in June 1993 - less than five months after he took office.
While Trump has yet to register majority approval, most presidents stayed above the 50% level for a full year or more after taking office.
In addition to Clinton, Barack Obama and Ronald Reagan were exceptions to that pattern; both of them dipped below majority approval in November of their first year. ■