Sign in Subscribe
Cable television broadcasting industry

Trump's Inauguration Day: Low Approval Ratings and Crowd Controversy

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

President Donald Trump's inauguration day marked a low point for his approval ratings, with a staggering 37% of Americans expressing approval, while 54% disapproved. This is a stark contrast to his predecessor Barack Obama, who enjoyed an inaugural approval rating of 80%. The small crowd gathered to witness Trump's inauguration has become a contentious issue, with the White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer inaccurately claiming that it was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration.

Key Takeaways:

  • Trump's inauguration day approval rating was 37%, with 54% of Americans disapproving of his presidency.
  • Historically, incoming presidents have seen their highest approval ratings on their first day in office, with Obama achieving an 80% approval rating.
  • The crowd size at Trump's inauguration was significantly smaller than Obama's, with the Washington's Metro system reporting only 193,000 trips taken by 11:00 a.m. compared to 513,000 and 317,000 for Obama's 2009 and 2013 inaugurations, respectively.
  • Trump's cabinet is comprised of wealthy elites, including Rex Tillerson, Betsy DeVos, and Steve Mnuchin, who have reportedly been making policy decisions with little transparency.
  • Trump's inaugural address focused on issues of poverty, crime, and the decline of the American middle class, as well as foreign policy and the state of the US military.
  • Despite Trump's claims of an America in decline, the US still spends more on its military than the next seven countries combined, and has the most capable military force in the world.

Statistics:

  • 37% of Americans approved of Trump's presidency on inauguration day, while 54% disapproved.
  • Obama's inaugural approval rating was 80%.
  • 193,000 trips were taken on the Washington's Metro system by 11:00 a.m. on Trump's inauguration day.
  • Obama's 2009 inauguration saw 513,000 trips taken, while his 2013 inauguration saw 317,000 trips.
  • Trump's cabinet includes:

+ Rex Tillerson: oil tycoon and CEO of ExxonMobil

+ Betsy DeVos: businesswoman who inherited a billion-dollar fortune

+ Steve Mnuchin: former Goldman Sachs executive

  • The US spends more on its military than the next seven countries combined: China, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, and South Korea.

Sources:

  • FOX News: "Trump's Inaugural Approval Rating a Low 37%" (January 21, 2017)
  • BBC: "Donald Trump's Inauguration: Was the crowd really that small?" (January 21, 2017)
  • The Washington's Metro system: Twitter account (@wmata) (January 20, 2017)
  • Trump's inaugural address: (January 20, 2017)

Read more