Donald Trump's Contradictory Poll Numbers

President Donald Trump is less than a month into his second term and he has started with some of the best poll numbers he has ever seen during his time in politics.

But within them is a curious contradiction: Americans view Trump unfavorably while approving of the job he is doing.

According to 538, which compiles weighted averages of quality polling, Trump at the time of writing has a net unfavorable rating of +1.6 (unfavorable 48.1 percent versus favorable 46.5 percent) and a net approval rating of +3.3 for his presidency (approve 48.9 percent versus disapprove 45.6 percent).

Trump's favorability trend shows a sharp convergence since he won the election, as more Americans view him favorably and fewer unfavorably. However, since the beginning of his presidency, his unfavorable rating has crept back up.

And while he has enjoyed a positive net approval rating since his inauguration, the gap has narrowed from its peak of +8.2 in the first days of his new term.

So how unusual is it for a president to be viewed unfavorably while also seeing positive job approval? And what might explain this difference? Newsweek asked experts for their views. Here's what they said.

Chris Jackson: Small Group of Americans Reflect Trump Difference

It's not terribly uncommon for Americans to hold slightly different views of public officials as people (favorability) vs their performance of the job (approval).

What we've heard in some qualitative research is there is a small but real group of Americans who do not personally like President Trump or his behavior, but they think he is the right person for the job or the moment.

I think that reflects the gap you are seeing.

Chris Jackson is senior vice president, US, public affairs, at IPSOS.

Melvyn P. Leffler: Compare Trump's Ratings to Biden's

I think the most important thing to keep in mind is that Biden had a favorability rating hovering above 50 percent at this time in his presidency.

Melvyn P. Leffler is Edward Stettinius professor of history, emeritus, at the University of Virginia.

Lee Miringoff: Trump Has Battle Scars

Approval rating directs attention to job performance where the public is slightly giving the president a positive start to 2.0 … Although the polarization blocks a significant honeymoon period, this is likely the remnants of that.

It's unclear if he is in the process of overreaching that support as people question the viability of his policy directions.

The unfavorability rating focuses more on his character and here, there are some battle scars from having been around the track and concerns over the tone he takes and the style he brings to the public.

Two examples come to mind from days gone by. Ronald Reagan had a low approval rating but a high favorability. There were concerns over policies but he was liked. Bill Clinton was just the opposite. High approval rating (the economy) but low favorability (Monica Lewinsky etc.)

Lee Miringoff is director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion.

Christopher P. Borick: These Americans Played a Key Role in Trump's Election

While favorability and approval ratings for an elected official tend to be fairly similar, there are important differences in terms of what is being measured that can explain deviations in results.

Favorability is tied to an individual's feelings about an official, largely measuring positive or negative appraisals of the person. On the other hand, job approval ratings measure satisfaction with the work an official is doing in the capacity of their office.

While for many it's hard to disentangle appraisals of how you feel about a person from what you think about their work, it does happen. Some Americans may not like Donald Trump because of his personality and past behaviors, but are generally satisfied with the actions he is taking in office.

This is a relatively small segment of Americans, but in a highly divided country they played a key role in last year's election and Trump's current claim that his work is supported by the public.

Christopher P. Borick is a professor of political science and director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion.

Charles Franklin: There Are Mixed Feelings About Trump

Usually approval and favorability track pretty closely. But in the late 1990s Bill Clinton's approval remained in the high 50s and low 60s during the Monica Lewinsky scandal while his favorability turned down, from +15 net favorable to -10 net favorable in late 1998 and 1999.

In our Marquette Law School National Poll released February 12, we find 36 percent who say only negative things about Trump in an open-ended question "What do you like about Trump?"

"What do you dislike about Trump?"—14 percent give only positive answers. But a full 47 percent say both something positive and something negative.

A common complaint among those who generally like Trump is his communication style. Some representative comments: "he talks too much"; "the way he talks, very crude"; and "mean tweets, rehearsing [sic] his wins in election too often."

But on the positive side in this week's poll, many people said things like, "he's fulfilling campaign promises," or "He has already done more in a few days than Biden did."

Those with mixed feelings reflect a relatively unfavorable view of Trump's personality, while remaining positive to his actions and policies.

Charles Franklin is a professor of law and public policy and director of the Marquette Law School Poll.

Jeffrey A. Engel: Vigorous Presidents Do Well in Their First Month

These numbers make sense. Americans want to see action, especially from a new administration, which is why even ones that are not as frantic and hectic as this one typically enjoy a honeymoon in approval.

Most voters no matter what their persuasion are dissatisfied, we know that by now. So the fact that there are headlines of the new president 'doing' something will lead many to reflexively approve.

I interpret the upward tick in disapproval to those voters who actually care about the particular programs that are being cut.

If you know what USAID or NIH actually do, you are likely pretty upset—terrified even—of the implications of their wholesale elimination. If those are just letters, as they are to most voters, then heck yeah that guy is doing stuff!

I expect to see presidents do well in their first month. Especially the ones who appear vigorous.

Jeffrey A. Engel is the David Gergen director of the Center for Presidential History at Southern Methodist University.

Allan Lichtman: Trump's Flaws Outweigh Positives

Trump has consistently garnered poor favorability ratings. Americans object to many aspects of Trump's character: His disdain for the law, his grifting, his dishonesty, and his sexual harassment of women.

These flaws outweigh what people view as positive in his character: His forcefulness and willingness to speak his mind and challenge conventional wisdom.

His approval ratings are higher than his favorability ratings because Trump and his allies have effectively sold the American people his most prominent policies: Slashing government waste and fraud, reducing the size of the federal bureaucracy, and deporting criminal aliens.

Positive ratings for these policies slightly outweigh public disapproval of other policies, such as ending birthright citizenship, pardoning the January 6 felons, abolishing the Department of Education, and eliminating all foreign aid.

Democrats are also complicit in Trump's relatively high approval ratings because they have failed to develop an effective and resolute counter-message. Democratic messaging has lagged behind Republican messaging for many years.

I have long summarized American politics in one sentence: "Republicans have no principles; Democrats have no spine."

Allan Lichtman is distinguished professor of history at American University.