Illustration via Aaron Barksdale
Donald Trump has been president for a little more than nine months, and since his inauguration, the former reality star and self-described "king of debt" has set himself apart from his predecessors in more ways than one. From nonstop Twitter feuds to unprecedented turnover of senior positions, Trump's reign has been nothing if not unique. But how does 45 compare to past commanders in chief when it comes to some of the numbers? Based on a September 2017 poll from Gallup, a leading non-partisan data and analytics organization, 51 percent of Americans say that they approve of how well Trump is handling the economy.Per the data, President Trump's approval rating on the economy is higher than any other former president at this point in office—with the exception of George W. Bush who experienced a patriotic boost of confidence following the September 11 terror attacks. However, the playing field isn't exactly level. According to Gallup, Obama, Clinton, the younger Bush and Reagan all came into office at times when the economy was in a much rockier position. Trump is surely enjoying some of the residual effects of the economic recovery from the Obama administration, and the country has to wait anxiously to see how a Trump economic program will materialize.Also, when it comes to other qualities, likes foreign affairs, immigration and the situation with North Korea, data from Gallup shows Americans rated President Trump far less favorably, with the majority disapproving of his performance.We put together a simple guide that shows how other presidential approval ratings measured up to Trump's handling of the economy.Take a look below:Elected officials at the local and national level play a key role in determining economic policy. VICE Impact is committed to increasing civic participation by getting people registered to vote. If you have strong opinions about how the country should run, then make sure you're registered so your voice is heard.
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