New Survey Shows Trump’s 2024 Transition Team Has Higher Approval Rating Than 2016 Transition

(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

More Americans approve of the way President-elect Donald Trump has organized his current presidential transition compared to his prior 2016 team.

According to a Gallup survey released on Friday, 51% of Americans approve of Trump’s new transition team, while 44% disapprove. Since winning the November election, Trump’s transition team has faced backlash due to various controversial cabinet nominees for his incoming administration.

Back in December 2016, a Gallup poll conducted at the time found that only 48% of Americans had a positive view of Trump’s transition, while 48% disapproved of its handling.

Despite Trump’s newfound support for his presidential transition, his approval rating is lower than that of prior presidents-elect, including Joe Biden and Barack Obama.

During Biden’s 2020 presidential transition, 68% of Americans approved of its handling, while 83% approved of Obama’s 2008 transition following his landslide victory. Moreover, George W. Bush had a 65% following his 2001 victory, and Bill Clinton had similar support, with 67% approval in December 1992, according to Gallup.

The survey found that Trump’s rise in support is due to more Republicans approving his transition team than in 2016. Gallup reports that 97% of Republicans approve of Trump’s handling — a 10% increase in support compared to December 2016.

Independent voters also increased their support of Trump’s team by one point from 46% approval in 2016 to 47% in December 2024.

The poll has a margin of error of 4% and was conducted from December 2nd to December 18th among 1,003 U.S. adults nationwide.