A majority of Americans approved of the message President Trump delivered in his joint address to Congress Tuesday.
A CBS News/ YouGov poll found that 76% of speech watchers approved of Mr. Trump’s speech, while 23% disapproved.
The poll noted that most viewers, 51%, were Republican, while 27% were independents and 20% were Democrats.
Mr. Trump’s address was his first major address to lawmakers since returning to office in January. He focused on his policies and what was to come as he looked ahead to the rest of his second administration. The guests invited to the address put a face to his policies.
“America’s momentum is back. Our spirit is back. Our pride is back. Our confidence is back,” Mr. Trump said in his speech. “The American Dream is surging – bigger and better than ever before. The American Dream is unstoppable and our country is on the verge of a comeback the likes of which the world has never witnessed and perhaps will never witness again.”
Viewers felt that he spent a majority of his speech on issues they cared about, 63%, while 28% said he focused on them a little, and 9% not at all.
A large majority called the speech “presidential, entertaining and inspiring.” A little over half, 62%, called it “unifying,” while a little less than half, 46%, found it “divisive.”
Some 68% said the speech left them feeling “hopeful,” and 54% said they were left feeling “proud.” A smaller percentage, 27%, said the speech left them “worried,” and 16% “angry.”
Over half of viewers, 68%, said the president has a clear plan to handle inflation, while 32% said he doesn’t.
During his speech, Mr. Trump acknowledged that prices were still too high but put the blame on the Biden administration. He said it takes time to lower prices.
“Among my very highest priorities is to rescue the economy and get dramatic and immediate relief to working families,” Mr. Trump said. “As you know, we inherited from the last administration an economic catastrophe and an inflation nightmare. Their policies drove up energy prices, pushed up the cost of groceries and drove the necessities of life out of reach for many Americans.”
He said the key for lowering inflation “is rapidly reducing the cost of energy,” as he outlined his plans to build a massive natural gas pipeline. He also noted that he declared a national energy emergency on his first day in office.
Most viewers like Mr. Trump’s plans for handling waste in government spending (77%), immigration and the border, (77%), Ukraine and Russia (73%) and tariffs (65%).
The president’s speech was interrupted multiple times, most notably in the beginning by Rep. Al Green, Texas Democrat. Nearly 80% of viewers approved of having him removed.
“You have no mandate,” Mr. Green shouted. Other Democrats held up signs saying “false” or “lie after lie,” among other phrases. House Speaker Mike Johnson, Louisiana Republican, ordered Mr. Green to be removed from the chamber.
The survey was based on the responses of 1,207 adults. The margin of error was plus or minus 3.4 percentage points.
