After a lot of drama on Capitol Hill over a $1.3 trillion dollar spending package, Newsweek reported that Donald Trump’s approval rating had seen an uptick according to a new poll by the American Research Group. The new slight gain in support for the president appears to be coming from Independents, and may not be coming from a strengthening base. In fact, just the opposite seems to be happening to Donald Trump’s base this week, with some staunch Republicans even predicting impeachment.
The American Research Group surveyed 1,100 American voters during March 17 and March 20 of this week, while the spending package drama swirled on Capitol Hill. As a government shutdown loomed, Donald Trump threatened to veto the spending bill Congress would send to the president, if he didn’t get what he wanted. In the end, a government shutdown was avoided with a 1.3 trillion dollar spending package that even the president admitted he did not read.
Business Insider reported that Donald Trump expressed great disappointment with the spending package, but was pleased with the result that the defense budget topped at 700 billion. Even so, the president was reportedly very unhappy with the bill and said the following.
“There are a lot of things that I am unhappy about in this bill. But I say to Congress, I will never sign another bill like this again. Nobody read it, it’s only hours old, some people don’t even know what’s in it.”
Staunch Republican Ann Coulter took to Twitter to agree with the president that he would never sign another like that again, adding, “ Because you’ll be impeached. ” She also congratulated “President Schumer.” Ann Coulter is the author of the book In Trump We Trust .
Donald Trump’s approval rating has increased from 37 to 39 percent this week with the American Research Group. Gallup Weekly Job Approval ratings have Donald Trump at 40 percent approval and 56 percent disapproval.
Ann Coulter wasn’t the only member of Trump’s base that expressed disappointment to the president this week. After the spending package drama was wrapped up this week, staunch Conservatives began publicly expressing disappointment using the word “broken.”
Senator James Lankford tweeted that the signing of the spending package was another symptom of “Washington illness” and described the budget as “broken.”
Tonight’s #omnibus bill is another symptom of Washington’s spending illness; massive overspending in a 2,200 page bill released only hours before the vote. I could not support this massive bill nor the broken budget process that brought us this bill. https://t.co/boQqRBzPKF
— Sen. James Lankford (@SenatorLankford) March 23, 2018
Senator Rand Paul posted that the bill hadn’t even been read by most of Congress, and described Congress as the “broken” element in the spending package drama.
Well here it is, all 2,232 budget-busting pages. The House already started votes on it. The Senate is expected to soon. No one has read it. Congress is broken… pic.twitter.com/izvJlUEgUM
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) March 22, 2018
Senator Mike Lee told the American people through a tweet that the spending bill package had been negotiated behind closed doors and noted his firm “no” vote in advance.
A small group of congressional leaders have negotiated a 2,232 page, $1.3 trillion bill to fund the government completely behind closed doors, giving Congress less than 48 hours to review it. I will absolutely be voting no. https://t.co/HwBbfl3J87
— Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) March 22, 2018
Donald Trump will always have a committed base. But those on the fringes of that base are extremely displeased with their president this week. The Drudge Report, an online news portal that the president often gives accolades to ran a banner on their website reading “FAKE VETO” reported Business Insider .
Voters of Donald Trump are also expressing their disappointment to the president by tweet. The word “disappointment” has been coming up in tweets to the president, by his own voters after the spending bill drama this week.
As a supporter of you and I and many other Patriotic Americans voted for you under the premises that WE believed you were going to NOT act like a politician but a supporter of “We The People”, you are turning into just another disappointment and one more of the DC swamp creatures
— Kevin L Hartman (@622specialk) March 24, 2018
I voted for you Mr. Trump but I am so disappointed in you. Why did you sign such a wasteful bill. We are still sending money to China. Money to Vietnam?? What?? Money so Egyptian students can get better education?? I am most disappointed that money went to Planned Parenthood! Sad
— Deborah Lee ? (@1952country) March 24, 2018
Other Trump voters are wondering why he hasn’t filled his promises yet, and appear to still be waiting for Hillary Clinton to be locked up. One Trump voter told him in a tweet this week that he did not trust Donald Trump or Vladimir Putin, while another Trump voter said she was sickened daily about life in America under Donald Trump.
Where is the wall!!!! Why isn’t Hilary locked up?? Swamp is winning… come on dude, i voted for you and still support you, but come on already.
— Petey (@thedoctortruth1) March 23, 2018
Frankly, I’m getter rather sick of this crap, you and all the turmoil on a daily basis since I voted for you. Ya, you’ve done a good job in areas, but the anxiety you cause me is nauseating. I sometimes hate getting up wondering what the hell I’ll read or hear.
— Carol Keller (@KellerLwyd) March 18, 2018
CNN conducted a focus group of Trump voters this month. They asked Pennsylvania voters why they voted for a Democrat to help Democrat Conor Lamb to a win in Pennsylvania. Those voters said they don’t trust Donald Trump anymore. One Trump voter said that he stopped believing in Donald Trump six months ago and that he was ashamed to be a military veteran.
Today, Donald Trump’s approval rating appears to be holding steady between 39 and 40 percent across various polls. But clearly, much change is needed for those numbers to increase any further as many of his own voters are turning or predicting an impeachment or a very short term for Donald Trump.