CBS NEWS POLL

For release: Friday, February 3, 2017

7:00 am EST

Country Divides on Travel Ban, Record Low Approval for President Trump
February 1-2, 2017

Two weeks into Donald Trumps presidency, the country remains sharply divided along
partisan lines. A large majority of Republicans approve of President Trump and his recent
executive order temporarily restricting entry into the U.S. by foreigners and refugees, while
Democrats disapprove in similar numbers.

Slightly more Americans disapprove (51%) than approve (45%) of President Trumps
executive order that temporarily bans people from entering the U.S. from seven designated
countries. Views on temporarily suspending entry for refugees are the same. Opinions on
these issues are highly partisan.

The public splits on whether a temporary ban on people from the seven designated countries
will make the U.S. safer, but most Republicans (who support the ban) think it will.

On a more positive note for Mr. Trump, more Americans think the Senate should vote to
confirm his Supreme Court nominee, Neil Gorsuch, than vote against him. However, 56%
cant say at this point. Republicans and independents are more supportive of Gorsuch than
Democrats.

In the CBS News Polls first measure of Mr. Trumps job performance as president, 40% of
Americans approve of the job he is doing -- the lowest of any president just after his first
inauguration since the Gallup Poll began taking those measures in 1953. 48% disapprove.

President Trumps Executive Order Restricting Entry to the U.S.

Americans are divided on President Trumps executive order that temporarily bans foreigners from
entering the U.S. who are from seven majority Muslim countries Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan,
Syria, and Yemen though more disapprove (51%) than approve (45%). The partisan differences
are striking: 85% of Republicans approve, while an identical 85% of Democrats disapprove.

Temporary Ban on All Foreigners Entering the U.S. from 7 Countries

Total Reps Dems Inds
Approve 45% 85% 11% 44%
Disapprove 51 12% 85 50

A third of Americans agree with the rationale given by the Trump administration for this measure:
that it will make the United States safer from terrorism. 36% of Americans agree that this provision
will make the U.S. safer by preventing unwanted people from entering the country, but just as many
36% - think it will make the U.S. less safe by making people around the world angry at the U.S.
Another 22% think it will not have any effect.

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 Temporary Ban on All Foreigners Entering the U.S.
from 7 Countries Will Make the U.S. Will
Total Reps Dems Inds
Safer from terrorism 36% 68% 10% 34%
Less safe from terrorism 36 9 63 32
No effect 22 17 22 25

Another major provision of Mr. Trumps executive order is to temporarily prohibit all refugees from
any country from entering the U.S. Here again, Americans are largely divided along party lines,
though more Americans disapprove (51%) than approve (45%).

Temporary Ban on All Refugees Entering the U.S.

Total Reps Dems Inds
Approve 45% 81% 12% 46%
Disapprove 51 14 86 47

57% of Americans think a temporary ban on refugees goes against the founding principles of the
United States. Nearly seven in 10 Republicans think this ban is in keeping with the countrys
founding principles, while more than eight in 10 Democrats and most independents disagree.

A Temporary Ban on All Refugees Entering the U.S. Is

Total Reps Dems Inds
In keeping with the U.S.s founding principles 35% 68% 10% 33%
Against the U.S.s founding principles 57 23 85 56

Religion, the Travel Ban, and Views of Islam

President Trump signaled that Christians might receive preference when it comes to assessing
whether travelers affected by the ban would be allowed to enter the U.S., but most Americans reject
this as a grounds for allowing immigration into the country. 88% of Americans - and 87% of
American Christians - think the government should treat all potential immigrants the same
regardless of religion.

In Deciding Which Immigrants to admit to the U.S.

Total Christians
Priority should be given to Christians 8% 9%
Religion shouldnt matter 88 87

The seven countries singled out by the executive order all have Muslim majority populations. Some
critics of the executive order have characterized the executive order as a Muslim ban, a charge the
administration has denied. In principle, three in four Americans would oppose a ban on all Muslims
from entering the U.S. including large majorities of Democrats (92%) and independents (75%), and
a slight majority of Republicans (55%).

Should the U.S. Temporarily Ban All Muslims from Entering the U.S.?
Total Reps Dems Inds
Should ban 19% 38% 6% 18%
Should not ban 75 55 92 75

And despite strong language before the election by the Trump campaign about the threat of violence
from radical Islam, most Americans dont believe that the Islamic religion as a whole is more violent

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than other religions. More than six in 10 Republicans think Islam is more violent than other religions,
while most Democrats and independents think Islam is no different than other religions.

The Islamic Religion Encourages Violence

Total Reps Dems Inds
More than other religions 33% 63% 14% 28%
Less than other religions 6 2 9 5
Same amount 50 25 66 53

President Trumps Supreme Court Nominee

Most Americans are taking a wait and see approach on the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the
Supreme Court 56% cant say at this point whether or not he should be confirmed. Still, more say
Judge Gorsuch should be confirmed than not.

Democrats are three times as likely to think the Senate should vote against Judge Gorsuch rather
than for him, but about six in 10 dont have an opinion yet. Most Republicans want him confirmed.
Among independents with an opinion, more would like to Judge Gorsuch confirmed than not.

Should Senate Vote to Confirm Neil Gorsuch?

Total Reps Dems Inds
Yes 27% 53% 9% 23%
No 14 2 27 12
Cant say 56 44 62 60

Historically, similar percentages of Americans did not have an opinion on the confirmation of past
nominees to the U.S. Supreme Court at this early stage. Overall public support for Gorsuchs
confirmation is in line with recent nominees.

Should Senate Vote to Confirm ?

Gorsuch Kagan Sotomayor Alito Roberts Thomas Bork
Yes 27% 21% 34% 15% 26% 24% 14%
No 14 19 9 7 9 11 13
Cant say 56 53 53 75 60 59 66

One of the most controversial decisions made by the U.S. Supreme Court was the Roe vs. Wade
decision that effectively legalized abortion. 54% of Americans say they are looking for a Supreme
Court justice who would uphold Roe v. Wade; only 30% want someone who would vote to overturn
it.

Three in four Democrats are looking for a justice to uphold that 1973 decision. Republicans are more
divided in their views but more want the next justice to vote to overturn Roe v. Wade (45%) than
want the next justice to uphold it (39%).

Want the Next Supreme Court Justice to Be Someone Who

Total Reps Dems Inds
Will vote to uphold Roe v. Wade 54% 39% 75% 49%
Will vote to overturn Roe v. Wade 30 45 17 30

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Former Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia was a conservative, and Donald Trump vowed to
name a conservative to fill his seat. Not surprisingly, 64% of Republicans want the next justice to be
a conservative. Democrats are somewhat divided in their desire for a liberal (41%) and a moderate
(39%). Independents are looking for a moderate.

Want the Next Supreme Court Justice to Be Someone Who

Total Reps Dems Inds
Is liberal 21% 5% 41% 15%
Is moderate 36 24 39 41
Is conservative 34 64 13 32

Many Republicans do think Judge Gorsuch is in line with their own ideology. 38% think he is about
right ideologically, while far fewer say he is either too conservative (4%) or not conservative enough
(2%). Democrats are more likely to say Judge Gorsuch is too conservative.Still, most Americans,
including more than half of Republicans, dont know enough about Judge Gorsuch yet to have an
opinion

Supreme Court Nominee Neil Gorsuch Is

Total Reps Dems Inds
Too conservative 15% 4% 26% 13%
Not conservative enough 2 2 2 1
About right 18 38 4 17
Dont know enough to say 64 55 65 69

President Trumps Job Rating

Amidst a flurry of far-reaching executive orders signed during his first two weeks in office, President
Trumps first recorded job approval rating in the CBS News Poll is at 40%. 48% of Americans
disapprove, and 12% dont have an opinion yet. Views of the 45th President are strikingly partisan:
more than eight in 10 Republicans approve and more than eight in 10 Democrats disapprove of how
he is handling his job. Independents are more likely to disapprove (46%) than approve (36%).

President Trumps Job Approval

Total Reps Dems Inds
Approve 40% 84% 8% 36%
Disapprove 48 8 84 46
Dont know 12 8 8 18

President Trumps first approval rating is a historic low when compared with other presidents during
their first month in office, and he is the first president since 1953 (when Gallup started measuring the
job performance of presidents just after their first inauguration) to have more Americans disapprove
than approve of the job he is doing so early in his term.

Ratings of the most recent U.S. presidents were far less partisan. About a third of Republicans
approved of the job Barack Obama was doing at the start of his presidency, and a similar
percentage of Democrats approved of George W. Bush at the start of his first term.

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 Early Job Approvals of Past Presidents
Approve Disapprove
Trump (2/2017) 40% 48
Obama (2/2009) 62% 15
G.W. Bush (2/2001) 53% 21
Clinton (2/1993) 53% 30
G.H.W. Bush (1/1989) 52% 8
Reagan (1/1981)* 51% 13
Carter (1/1977)* 66% 8
Nixon (1/1969)* 59% 5
Kennedy (2/1961)* 72% 6
Eisenhower (2/1953)* 68% 7
*Gallup polls

President Trump does better on a couple of specific issues. 43% of Americans approve of his
handling of the economy, while 37% disapprove. Americans split on how he is handling terrorism.
Again, these results are highly partisan.

Trumps Job Ratings: The Economy and Terrorism

The economy Terrorism
Approve 43% 45%
Disapprove 37 46
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This poll was conducted by telephone February 1-2, 2017 among a random sample of 1,019 adults
nationwide. Data collection was conducted on behalf of CBS News by SSRS of Media, PA. Phone numbers
were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones.

The poll employed a random digit dial methodology. For the landline sample, a respondent was randomly
selected from all adults in the household. For the cell sample, interviews were conducted with the person who
answered the phone.

Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish using live interviewers. The data have been weighted to
reflect U.S. Census figures on demographic variables.

The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus four percentage
points. The error for subgroups may be higher and is available by request. The margin of error includes the
effects of standard weighting procedures which enlarge sampling error slightly.

This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

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CBS NEWS POLL
Country Divides on Travel Ban and Record Low Approval for President Trump
February 1-2, 2017

Q1. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling his job as President?

** TOTAL RESPONDENTS **
Total Rep Dem Ind
% % % %
Approve 40 84 8 36
Disapprove 48 8 84 46
Don't know/No answer 12 8 8 18

Q2. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling the economy?

Approve 43 84 10 43
Disapprove 37 6 69 33
Don't know/No answer 20 9 21 25

Q3. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling the threat of terrorism?

Approve 45 85 12 45
Disapprove 46 9 83 43
Don't know/No answer 8 6 5 12

Q4. As you may know, Donald Trump has issued an executive order that temporarily bans people from entering the U.S.
who are from the countries of Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. Do you approve or disapprove of this
action?

Approve 45 85 11 44
Disapprove 51 12 85 50
Don't know/No answer 4 2 3 6

Q5. Do you think temporarily banning people from these countries will make the United States safer from terrorism by
preventing unwanted people from entering the country, less safe from terrorism by making people around the world
angry at the U.S., or will temporarily banning people from these countries have no effect on the United States' safety
from terrorism?

Safer from terrorism 36 68 10 34

Less safe from terrorism 36 9 63 32
No effect 22 17 22 25
Don't know/No answer 7 5 5 10

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Q6. As you may know, Donald Trumps executive order also temporarily bans any refugees, those forced to leave their
country due to violence or persecution, from entering the United States. Do you approve or disapprove of temporarily
banning refugees from entering the U.S.?

** TOTAL RESPONDENTS **
Total Rep Dem Ind
% % % %
Approve 45 81 12 46
Disapprove 51 14 86 47
Don't know/No answer 5 4 2 7

Q7. Do you think that temporarily banning any refugees from entering the U.S. is in keeping with the founding principles
of this country or goes against the founding principles of this country?

Keeping with founding principles 35 68 10 33

Goes against founding principles 57 23 85 56
Do not apply (vol.) 2 2 1 3
Don't know/No answer 7 7 5 8

Q8. When the U.S. government is deciding which immigrants to admit to this country, should priority be given to people
who are Christians, or should the U.S. government treat all potential immigrants the same regardless of religion?

Priority to Christians 8 16 3 6
Treat all same 88 78 96 89
Don't know/No answer 4 6 2 5

Q9. Do you think the U.S. should temporarily ban all Muslims from other countries from entering the United States, or
not?

Should ban 19 38 6 18
Should not ban 75 55 92 75
Don't know/No answer 5 7 2 7

Q10. Generally speaking, do you think the Islamic religion encourages violence more than other religions around the
world, less than other religions around the world, or about the same as other religions around the world?

More 33 63 14 28
Less 6 2 9 5
Same amount 50 25 66 53
Don't know/No answer 12 10 11 13

Q11. Thinking about the U.S. Supreme Court, do you want the next justice to be someone who will vote to uphold Roe
vs. Wade--the decision that legalized abortion or vote to overturn Roe vs. Wade?

Vote to uphold Roe vs. Wade 54 39 75 49

Vote to overturn Roe vs. Wade 30 45 17 30
Doesn't matter (vol.) 3 3 1 4
Don't know/No answer 13 13 7 17

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Q12. In general, do you want the next Supreme Court Justice to be someone who is a liberal, a moderate, or a
conservative?

** TOTAL RESPONDENTS **
Total Rep Dem Ind
% % % %
Liberal 21 5 41 15
Moderate 36 24 39 41
Conservative 34 64 13 32
Don't know/No answer 9 6 7 12

Q12a. As you may know, Neil Gorsuch has been nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court. Is Neil Gorsuch more
conservative than you would like, not conservative enough, or about right, or dont you know enough about Neil
Gorsuch yet to say?

More conservative 15 4 26 13
Not conservative enough 2 2 2 1
About right 18 38 4 17
Don't know enough to say 64 55 65 69
Don't know/No answer 1 1 3 *

Q13. What do you think right now? Should the Senate vote to confirm Neil Gorsuch as a Justice of the U.S Supreme
Court, vote against Neil Gorsuch, or can't you say?

Vote to confirm 27 53 9 23
Vote against 14 2 27 12
Can't say 56 44 62 60
Don't know/No answer 3 1 2 5

Q14. Do you personally know anyone who is Muslim? IF YES: Would you say they are a close friend, or not?

Know Muslim, close friend 26 18 32 26

Know Muslim, not close 30 40 24 29
Don't know any Muslims 41 39 41 43
Self or family is Muslim 1 1 2 1
Don't know/No answer 2 2 2 2

Unweighted Weighted
Total Respondents 1,019

Total Republicans 289 269

Total Democrats 349 322
Total Independents 381 428