(NewsNation Now) — President Joe Biden’s job approval rating has fallen to the lowest of his presidency, according to a recent Gallup poll.
The Sept. 1-17 Gallup poll showed his rating down six percentage points to 43%. For the first time since his inauguration eight months ago, a majority of 53% now disapprove of the president’s performance.
This is the second consecutive Gallup poll drop to the president’s approval rating. In June, it fell from 56% to 50%.
The poll’s sample period covers a bumpy first eight months for Biden. The president was defending the United States’ exit from Afghanistan in the face of criticism over the hundreds of Americans who were still there and the 13 American troops who died in a terrorist attack. COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths were also on the rise during this time period due to the delta variant.
Incoming presidents tend to enjoy a “honeymoon period” in the first few months of their first term. Except for Donald Trump, every president since Harry Truman has experienced above-average approval ratings when first taking office, according to Gallup.
Biden’s low approval rating put him in the same category as Presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, who were at or below 43% during some point early in their presidencies, according to Gallup.
Gallup, Inc. is an analytics and advisory company based in Washington, D.C., known for its public opinion polls.