Trump disapproval hits 60 percent in new poll

Disapproval of President Trump reached 60 percent in a new ABC News/Washington Post poll, the highest those outlets have recorded throughout his tenure.

The results, released Friday, come at a challenging time for the Trump presidency, after his former longtime lawyer Michael Cohen pleaded guilty in federal court, and his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort was found guilty on eight counts and faces yet another trial next month. Meanwhile, White House counsel Don McGahn is on his way out this fall, as Democrats aim to take control of the House come November. Mr. Trump’s approval rating is still high among conservatives, but it has dropped from a high of 74 percent to 67 percent. And his approvals among white men without college education has also dropped 15 points — from a high of 70 percent to 55 percent.

Mr. Trump, who often calls polls fake, has more to worry about, if this poll is accurate. A majority of those polled, 53 percent, believe he has tried to interfere with special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation in a way that amounts to obstruction of justice, compared to 35 percent who believe has has not. Speaking of Mueller, Americans are broadly supportive of him and his investigation, according to the ABC-Washington Post poll. The survey found 63 percent support Mueller’s investigation into Trump associates, while 29 percent oppose it.

While the president has complained that Manafort’s prosecution was unfair, the poll finds a majority of Americans think it was justified, 67 to 17 percent, and nearly half of Republicans agree with this. Sixty-six percent of Americans oppose a Trump pardon for Manafort, and 45 percent of Republicans also oppose a pardon.

Those polled did express concern over Mr. Trump’s associates, and the president’s interactions with them. A majority of those polled, 61 percent, agreed that if Mr. Trump directed Cohen to pay off women, he committed a crime. And only 18 percent of those polled believed the president should pardon Manafort, while 66 percent say he should not.

Americans are split on whether impeachment proceedings should begin against Mr. Trump, something that would likely only happen if Democrats take control of Congress. Of those polled, 49 percent said impeachment proceedings should begin, while 46 percent said they should not.

There’s also a split among Americans on Mr. Trump’s handing of the economy, with 45 percent who approve and 47 percent who disapprove.

The poll was conducted by landline and cell phone from Aug. 26 through Aug. 29, in both English and Spanish, among 1,003 adults.