This Washington Post-ABC News poll was conducted by telephone January 12-15, 2017,
among a random national sample of 1,005 adults, including landline and cell phone
respondents. Results have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage
points. Sampling, data collection and tabulation by Abt-SRBI of New York.
*= less than 0.5 percent
(Full methodological details and sampling error margins for subgroups appended at the
end.)
Questions 1-5 held for release.
6. Overall, do you have a favorable or unfavorable impression of [ITEM]? Do you feel
that way strongly or somewhat?
1/15/17 - Summary Table

a. Barack Obama
b. Donald Trump

------- Favorable ------NET
Strongly
Somewhat
61
43
18
40
19
21

------ Unfavorable -----NET
Somewhat
Strongly
36
12
24
54
14
41

Trend:
a. Barack Obama

1/15/17
10/26/14
1/23/14
11/17/13
10/20/13
6/23/13
3/24/13
1/27/13
11/2/12
10/21/12
10/7/12
9/9/12
9/2/12
8/26/12
8/5/12
5/27/12
4/15/12
3/25/12
2/26/12
1/22/12
12/11/11
9/18/11
4/17/11
4/25/10
1/15/10
11/15/09
9/12/09
4/24/09
1/16/09
11/2/08
10/23/08
10/11/08
9/7/08

LV
LV

LV
LV
RV
RV

------- Favorable ------NET
Strongly
Somewhat
61
43
18
44
24
20
49
29
20
46
30
16
50
31
19
53
31
22
57
34
23
60
39
21
54
38
16
52
37
15
56
32
24
54
34
21
51
29
22
50
27
24
53
29
24
52
29
23
56
30
26
53
31
23
51
26
25
53
27
25
48
23
25
47
22
25
52
33
20
57
37
21
58
38
20
61
39
21
63
40
23
72
46
26
79
50
29
63
47
16
63
47
16
64
44
20
58
35
23

------ Unfavorable -----NET
Somewhat
Strongly
36
12
24
50
14
36
50
13
37
52
11
41
48
11
37
44
11
33
41
11
30
37
11
26
45
11
34
46
10
36
42
11
31
42
13
29
45
14
31
44
14
29
43
12
31
45
14
31
40
14
26
43
15
28
45
13
32
43
14
29
49
16
33
46
15
31
45
13
32
41
12
29
40
13
27
38
11
27
35
12
24
26
11
15
18
9
9
33
7
26
34
7
27
33
12
21
36
12
24

No
opinion
4
6
1
2
2
3
2
3
1
2
2
4
4
6
4
3
5
3
3
4
3
7
2
2
2
1
2
2
3
4
3
3
7

No
opinion
3
6

 8/22/08 RV
6/15/08
4/13/08
1/10/08
11/1/07
2/25/07
1/19/07
12/11/06

62
63
56
63
51
53
45
44

37
35
28
31
21
21
NA
21

25
28
28
32
30
33
NA
22

34
33
39
30
36
30
29
23

13
12
14
14
16
16
NA
17

21
21
25
16
20
14
NA
6

4
4
5
7
13
16
25
33

b. Donald Trump
------- Favorable ------------ Unfavorable -----No
NET
Strongly
Somewhat
NET
Somewhat
Strongly
opinion
1/15/17
40
19
21
54
14
41
6
11/5/16 LV
38
21
17
60
10
50
3
10/29/16 RV
37
19
18
59
11
47
4
10/13/16
31
17
14
66
11
54
4
9/30/16
34
18
17
64
13
51
2
9/22/16
35
18
17
59
14
45
6
8/28/16
35
16
18
63
16
47
3
8/4/16
34
16
18
63
11
52
3
7/14/16
31
15
16
64
13
52
4
6/12/16
29
15
14
70
14
56
1
5/19/16
37
18
19
60
11
49
3
4/10/16
31
14
17
67
14
53
2
3/6/16
30
15
14
67
11
56
3
1/10/16
35
17
18
62
14
48
3
11/8/15
38
16
23
59
13
46
3
9/27/15
35
14
21
60
19
41
5
8/30/15
37
16
21
59
16
43
4
7/12/15
33
14
19
61
16
45
6
5/31/15
16
7
9
71
16
55
13
12/18/11
40
12
29
48
21
27
12
1/16/00*
20
NA
NA
70
NA
NA
11
10/31/99*
18
"
"
70
"
"
12
*"Regardless of how you might vote, please tell me if you have a favorable or
unfavorable impression of Donald Trump, or perhaps you don't know enough to say."
Thinking about the 2016 presidential election…
7. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Trump has handled the presidential
transition? Do you approve/disapprove strongly or somewhat?
-------- Approve -------NET
Strongly
Somewhat
40
20
20

------- Disapprove -----NET
Somewhat
Strongly
54
13
41

Obama:
1/16/09
12/14/08*
11/23/08

80
76
67

46
46
41

34
30
26

15
15
18

7
5
8

8
9
10

5
9
15

W. Bush:
1/15/01*

72

NA

NA

21

NA

NA

6

Clinton:
1/17/93
12/14/92*
11/20/92**

81
72
62

1/15/17

No
opinion
6

Compare to:

H.W. Bush:

13
13
14

6
15
24

 1/16/89***
82
"
"
12
*"is handling"
**Newsweek
***”has handled himself since the election”

"

"

6

8. Do you think Donald Trump is qualified to serve as president, or not?
------- Qualified ----------NET
Strongly
Somewhat
NET
1/15/17
44
NA
NA
52
10/13/16 RV
39
58
9/22/16
41
57
9/8/16
36
"
"
62
8/4/16
38
20
18
61
7/14/16
37
18
19
60
6/23/16
34
18
16
64
5/19/16
39
NA
NA
58
9/10/15
37
NA
NA
60
*8/4/16 and previous: “Regardless of whether or
Donald Trump is or is not qualified to serve as
strongly or somewhat?”

Not qualified ----Somewhat
Strongly
NA
NA

No
opinion
4
3
3
"
"
2
8
52
2
9
51
3
8
56
2
NA
NA
3
NA
NA
2
not you’d vote for him, do you think
president? Do you feel that way

Compare to: Regardless of who you support, please tell me if you think Bill
Clinton/George Bush is basically qualified or not qualified to be president, or if,
perhaps you don’t know enough about him to say.
Qualified
Not qualified
No opinion
7/8/92
Bill Clinton
55
27
18
6/7/92
Bill Clinton
47
31
22
7/8/92
George H.W. Bush
74
22
3
6/7/92
George H.W. Bush
72
25
3
3/21/88*** George H.W. Bush
80
14
5
9/23/87
George H.W. Bush
80
12
8
6/1/87
George H.W. Bush
71
21
8
** 3/21/88 and prior: “Please tell me if you think George Bush is basically qualified
or not qualified to be president of the United States, or if, perhaps you don’t know
enough about that person to say.”
Question 9 held for release.
10. How much confidence do you have in Trump to make the right decisions for the
country's future – a great deal of confidence, a good amount, just some or none at
all?

1/15/17

-- More confident -Great
Good
NET
deal
amount
38
15
23

-- Less confident Just
None
NET
some
at all
61
27
34

No
opinion
1

-- Less confident Just
None
NET
some
at all
63
28
35
57
28
29
53
26
27
50
27
24
50
26
24
40
25
15

No
opinion
*
*
*
*
*
1

Compare to: Obama

1/23/14
7/11/10
1/15/10
10/18/09
8/17/09
4/24/09

-- More confident -Great
Good
NET
deal
amount
37
17
19
43
24
19
47
24
23
49
29
20
49
28
21
60
31
28

 1/16/09

61

31

30

37

28

9

2

11. What kind of job do you expect Trump to do on [ITEM] – excellent, good, not so
good or poor? How about [NEXT ITEM]?
1/15/17 - Summary Table

a. handling the
economy
b. dealing with
race relations
c. creating jobs
d. helping the
middle class
e. handling the
federal budget
deficit
f. improving the
health care system
g. dealing with the
threat of terrorism
h. handling
international
crises
i. handling issues of
special concern to
women
j. making appointments
to the U.S. Supreme
Court
*Full sample asked items
g-j.

------ Positive -----NET
Excellent
Good

------- Negative ------NET
Not so good
Poor

No
opinion

61

25

36

37

17

21

2

40
59

12
24

28
35

57
38

23
20

35
18

2
4

50

17

32

47

21

26

4

50

18

32

47

23

23

3

44

14

30

51

24

27

5

56

23

33

42

19

23

2

44

14

30

53

23

29

4

37

11

26

61

24

36

2

49
17
32
46
19
26
5
a and b; half sample asked items c-f; other half asked items

12. Do you approve or disapprove of most of the choices Trump has made for his cabinet
and other top positions in his administration?

1/15/17

Approve some disapprove
others (vol.)
5

No
opinion
7

Disapprove

Approve some disapprove
others (vol.)

No
opinion

Approve
40

Disapprove
48

Approve

Compare to:
Obama:
2/22/09*

64

30

NA

7

W. Bush:
1/15/01

66

22

4

8

Clinton:
1/15/97
1/17/93
12/14/92

58
60
61

30
17
13

6
6
5

6
17
21

H.W. Bush:
2/27/89**
2/14/89
2/9/89
1/16/89***

75
73
71
59

20
18
20
15

NA

5
10
9
26

"

 *”is handling appointments to his cabinet and other top positions in his
administration?”
** 2/27/89 and previous: “Do you approve or disapprove of most of the choices Bush has
made for his Cabinet?”
***”so far?”
13. Trump has announced that he will continue owning his businesses while putting them
in a trust run by two of his children and another executive. Do you think this is
enough to separate Trump’s business interests from his obligations as president, or do
you think he should sell his businesses?

1/15/17

Is
enough
52

Should sell
his businesses
42

No
opinion
6

14. Given what you’ve heard or read, do you think Trump, his family and his advisers
are or are not complying with federal ethics laws? Do you feel that way strongly or
somewhat?

1/15/17

----- Are complying ----NET
Strongly
Somewhat
43
22
21

----- Not complying ----NET
Somewhat
Strongly
44
12
32

No
opinion
13

15. Do you think Trump should or should not release his tax returns? (IF SHOULD
RELEASE) How much do you care about that – a lot, or not so much?

1/15/17

----------- Should release ---------NET
Care, a lot
Care, not so much
74
41
33

Should not
release
18

No
opinion
8

Compare to:
Trump has not released his tax returns, while Clinton has released hers. Do you think
Trump is justified in not releasing his tax returns, or not?
9/22/16

Justified
31

Not justified
63

No opinion
6

All major presidential candidates in the last 40 years have publicly released their
tax returns before the election. Trump has said he may not do this. Do you think Trump
should release his tax returns before the November election, or is it OK if he does
not release his tax returns? Do you feel that way strongly or somewhat?

5/19/16

----- Should release ---NET
Strongly
Somewhat
64
54
9

--- OK if he does not --NET
Somewhat
Strongly
31
11
20

No
opinion
5

16. Please tell me if you support or oppose each item I name. First is… [ITEM].
How about [NEXT ITEM]? Do you feel that way strongly or somewhat?
1/15/17 - Summary Table

a. repealing the major federal
health care law passed in 2010
b. building a wall along the U.S.
border with Mexico

------ Support ----NET
Strg.
Smwht.

------ Oppose ----NET
Smwht
Strg.

No
op.

46

35

12

47

12

36

6

37

25

12

60

13

47

3

 c. deporting about two million
undocumented immigrants who have
been convicted of a crime
72
52
20
25
14
11
2
d. withdrawing from the main
international treaty that tries
to address climate change
31
16
16
56
17
39
13
e. withdrawing from the nuclear
agreement with Iran
37
23
14
46
16
30
17
f. banning most Muslims who are
not U.S. citizens from
entering the United States
32
20
12
63
22
41
5
g. renegotiating the NAFTA trade
agreement with Mexico and Canada
57
31
26
26
16
10
17
h. punishing companies that move
jobs from the U.S. to other
countries
53
32
21
43
20
23
4
*Full sample asked items a and b; half sample asked items c-e; other half asked items
f-h.
Trend where available:
a. No trend.
b. Building a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico
-------- Support --------------- Oppose --------No
NET
Strongly
Somewhat
NET
Somewhat
Strongly
opinion
1/15/17
37
25
12
60
13
47
3
9/8/16*
34
24
10
63
11
52
3
*Do you support or oppose building a wall across the entire U.S. border with Mexico?
Do you feel that way strongly or somewhat?
c-e. No trend.
f. Banning most Muslims who are not U.S. citizens from entering the United States

1/15/17

-------- Support -------NET
Strongly
Somewhat
32
20
12

-------- Oppose --------NET
Somewhat
Strongly
63
22
41

No
opinion
5

Compare to: A temporary ban on Muslims who are not U.S. citizens from entering the
United States?

8/4/16
6/23/16
5/19/16

-------- Support -------NET
Strongly
Somewhat
40
23
18
43
29
14
43
30
12

-------- Oppose --------NET
Somewhat
Strongly
51
18
34
52
13
38
50
14
36

No
opinion
8
6
7

g-h. No trend.
17. (AMONG THOSE WHO SUPPORT REPEALING HEALTH CARE LAW) You mentioned that you support
repealing the federal health care law. Should the health care law be repealed (before)
a law replacing it is created, or (at the same time that) a law replacing it is
created?

1/15/17

Before a law replacing
it is created
27

16a/17 NET:

At the same time a law
replacing it is created
66

No
opinion
6

 1/15/17

----------------- Support repeal --------------NET
Before new law
At the same time
No op.
46
13
31
3

Oppose
47

No op.
6

18. There is a proposal to offer nearly 140 billion dollars in tax cuts for private
companies if they pay to build new roads, bridges and transportation projects. The
companies then could charge tolls for people to use these roads, bridges and
transportation. Do you support or oppose this proposal? Do you feel that way strongly
or somewhat?

1/15/17

-------- Support -------NET
Strongly
Somewhat
29
11
18

--------- Oppose –------NET
Somewhat
Strongly
66
22
44

No
opinion
6

19. Do you support or oppose reducing income taxes paid by [ITEM]? How about income
taxes paid by [NEXT ITEM]?
1/15/17 - Summary Table
a. businesses
b. middle and lower-income people
c. higher-income people

Support
48
75
36

Oppose
45
22
61

No opinion
7
3
3

On another subject…
20. Do you think Trump is being too (friendly) towards Russia, too (confrontational)
toward them, or is taking about the right approach?

1/15/17

Too
friendly
43

Too
confrontational
5

Right
approach
40

No
opinion
11

21. Given what you’ve heard or read, do you think the Russian government did or did
not hack into and leak Clinton campaign e-mails during the presidential campaign?

1/15/17

Yes
did
64

No did
not
20

No
opinion
15

21a. (AMONG THOSE WHO SAY RUSSIA DID HACK INTO AND LEAK CLINTON EMAILS) Do you think
Russia leaked this material with the goal of helping Trump win the election, or not?
1/15/17

Yes
71

No
24

No opinion
5

21/21a NET:

1/15/17

------------------- Did hack ------------------With goal of
Not with goal of
No
NET
helping Trump
helping Trump
opinion
64
45
16
3

Did not
hack
20

No
opinion
15

22. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Trump has responded to the issue of
Russian hacking? Do you approve/disapprove strongly or somewhat?

 1/15/17

-------- Approve -------NET
Strongly
Somewhat
35
16
20

------- Disapprove -----NET
Somewhat
Strongly
54
14
40

No
opinion
10

23. All in all, do you think [ITEM] fairly, or unfairly?
1/15/17 - Summary Table

a. the news media are treating Trump
b. Trump is treating the news media

Treating
fairly
49
38

Treating
unfairly
47
57

No
opinion
4
5

Party ID. Generally speaking, do you usually think of yourself as (a Democrat), (a
Republican), an independent or what?
Democrat
1/15/17
31
10/13/16
33
9/22/16
33
9/8/16
34
8/4/16
33
7/14/16
33
6/23/16
36
5/19/16
33
3/6/16
34
1/24/16
34
*Washington Post

Republican
23
25
23
24
23
23
24
25
25
23

Independent
37
33
36
33
36
35
33
35
32
34

Other (vol.)
5
5
6
5
5
5
5
4
5
5

No opinion
4
4
3
3
3
3
2
3
5
4

*** END***
METHODOLOGICAL DETAILS
This poll was jointly sponsored and funded by The Washington Post and ABC News. The
poll is a random sample of the continental United States, not including Alaska and
Hawaii, with interviews in English and Spanish.
This questionnaire was administered with the exact questions in the exact order as
they appear in this document. Demographic questions are not shown. If a question was
asked of a reduced base of the sample, a parenthetical preceding the question
identifies the group asked. Phrases surrounded by parentheticals within questions
indicate clauses that were randomly rotated for respondents. Results preceded by “RV”
indicate results among registered voters. Results preceded by “LV” indicate results
among likely voters.
A dual frame landline and cell phone telephone sample was generated using Random Digit
Dialing procedures by Survey Sampling International (SSI). Interviewers called
landlines and cellular phone numbers, first requesting to speak with the youngest
adult male or female at home. The final sample included 350 interviews completed on
landlines and 655 interviews completed via cellular phones, including 415 interviews
with adults in cell phone-only households.
This survey uses statistical weighting procedures to account for deviations in the
survey sample from known population characteristics, which helps correct for
differential survey participation and random variation in samples. The overall adult
sample is weighted to correct for differential probabilities of selection among
individuals who are landline-only, cell phone-only or dual users. Results are also
weighted match the demographic makeup of the population by sex, region, age, education

 and race/ethnicity according to the latest Current Population Survey Social and
Economic Supplement by age, race/ethnicity, sex and education.
All error margins have been adjusted to account for the survey’s design effect, which
is 1.3 for this survey. The design effect is a factor representing the survey’s
deviation from a simple random sample, and takes into account decreases in precision
due to sample design and weighting procedures. Surveys that do not incorporate a
design effect overstate their precision.
Group
All adults
Half sample

Unweighted
sample size
1,005
469-536

Error margin
+/- 3.5 points
5

The Washington Post is a charter member of AAPOR’s Transparency Initiative, which
recognizes organizations that disclose key methodological details on the research they
produce.
Contact polls@washpost.com for further information about how The Washington Post
conducts polls.