Ammon News - Some 47% of Americans approved of Donald Trump's presidency as he returned to the White House this week, a sign of a polarized nation following the Republican's victory in November, a Reuters/Ipsos poll that closed on Tuesday found.

The survey, conducted on Monday and Tuesday following President Trump's inauguration, showed his popularity higher than it was throughout most of his 2017-2021 term.

But the poll also showed that Americans were already sour on some of his first moves. Some 58% of respondents said that Trump should not pardon all people convicted of crimes during the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol.

Trump essentially did just that pardoning most of the nearly 1,600 people charged with joining the siege, while ending the sentences of 14 leaders of the siege hours into his second term in office, while the poll was being conducted.

Just 29% of respondents approved of how Trump was handling perceived politicization of the justice system. Trump accused his predecessor, Joe Biden, of bending the scales of justice with prosecutions meant to stop Trump from returning to office, charges that the Democrat has denied. He has also said he may use the justice system to seek retribution against his political rivals.
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Respondents looked more warmly on Trump's approach to other issues. Some 46% of respondents approved of his job handling immigration, an issue many Americans would like to see as the new administration's top priority.

Some 58% of respondents agreed with a statement that the United States should "dramatically reduce the number of migrants allowed to claim asylum at the border," signaling apparent support for Trump's early actions in office to suspend a procedure allowing asylum applications at the U.S. border. Trump also declared illegal immigration a national emergency and took steps to restrict citizenship for children born on U.S. soil. Reuters