Half of Americans think Donald Trump is racist, according to new poll

Half of Americans believe their current president is a racist, according to new research
AFP/Getty Images
David Gardner5 July 2018

Half of Americans think Donald Trump is racist, a new poll reports.

US voters also disapprove of the way the president is handling immigration, by 58 per cent to 39, with 83 per cent insisting the White House has a responsibility to unite migrant children separated from their parents.

The Quinnipiac University National Poll found 49 per cent of respondents thought the president was racist and 47 per cent did not. Some 55 per cent think Mr Trump has emboldened people who hold racist views to express them publicly. But findings are split along political lines. In the president’s Republican Party, 86 per cent say he is not racist, but 86 per cent of Democrats say he is.

The nation is divided over the motive for his “zero tolerance” migrant policy: half believe it is because he has “a sincere interest in controlling our borders”, 44 per cent blame his “racist beliefs”.

The Trump administration has faced heavy criticism for referring all illegal border-crossers for prosecution, resulting in thousands of children being separated from their parents. It has helped drive up his disapproval rating to 55 per cent from 52 last month, says the poll of 1,020 registered voters. His approval rate is down from 43 to 40 per cent. Fifty-eight per cent say he is not honest and 62 believe he fails to give moral leadership. But 63 per cent say he is strong and 57 intelligent.

Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll, said the findings were “a punch to the gut” of the administration’s immigration crackdown. Mr Trump has said he is “the least racist person you have ever met”.

Last night the president used Independence Day celebrations to praise the military for keeping the US “safe, strong, proud, mighty and free”. Standing with Melania, he addressed military families attending a picnic at the White House.

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