Gallup, the public opinion polling agency, will stop tracking presidential approval ratings after almost nine decades, a spokesperson confirmed.
The company said on Wednesday that it would stop measuring the favorability rating of individual political figures, which “reflects an evolution in how Gallup focuses its public research and thought leadership”, after 88 years.
“That work will continue through the Gallup Poll Social Series, the Gallup Quarterly Business Review, the World Poll, and our portfolio of US and global research.”.
The Gallup Presidential Approval Rating is one of the most cited barometers of public opinion on the president’s performance, and has been in use since Harry Truman was in office.
The polling provides a snapshot of American history through its data, including a whopping 90% approval rating for George W Bush in the days following the 9/11 attacks.
Trump’s second-term approval rating fell to 36% in December, which is among the lowest ever recorded by the company.
The US president started his second term with an approval rating of 47%. »