Biden's job ratings decline amid Covid surge, Afghanistan withdrawal in NBC News poll
"Summer of discontent": Biden’s overall job approval falls below 50 percent for the first time in the NBC News poll, while just 25 percent approve of his handling of Afghanistan.
WASHINGTON — After a spike in U.S. Covid-19 cases and bipartisan criticism over the chaos from America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, President Joe Biden's overall job-approval rating has dipped below 50 percent among adults for the first time in his early presidency, according to a new NBC News poll.
The poll also finds fewer Americans support Biden’s handling of thecoronavirus and the economy now than they did last spring, and just a quarter of respondents approve of his handling of Afghanistan.
The survey findings demonstrate the public has grown more pessimistic about the coronavirus since April, the country remains split over whether Covid-19 vaccines should be mandated and an electorate is divided over which political party should control Congress after the 2022 midterms.
Just 25 percent approve of Biden’s handling of Afghanistan, while 60 percent disapprove.
Biden’s approval numbers fall amid Covid surge, Afghanistan withdrawal
The president’s overall job approval has fallen below 50 percent for the first time while two-thirds disapprove of his handling of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The NBC News poll was conducted Aug. 14 to 17 — before, during and after Afghanistan’s capital city, Kabul, fell to the Taliban.
What also has changed for Biden since April is a more pessimistic public, according to the NBC News poll.
Overall, only 29 percent of Americans think the country is headed in the right direction, which is down 7 points from the last survey.
A majority of Americans — 54 percent — say they are mainly worried and pessimistic about the country’s future, versus 44 percent who say they are mainly hopeful and optimistic.
Just 24 percent describe the current state of the economy as excellent or good.
On the coronavirus, 37 percent of respondents say the worst is behind us, while 42 percent say the worst is yet to come.
That’s a significant reversal from April, when 61 percent of Americans said the worst was behind us, versus 19 percent who said the worst was yet to come.