President Trump’s approval rating fell this week, according to an ABC News/Washington Post poll released Friday.
An August survey showed 60 percent of adults now disapprove of Mr. Trump’s performance as president. His approval rating likewise dropped to 36 percent from 40 percent in May.
The same poll said an overwhelming amount of American adults back special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe into whether or not the Trump campaign colluded with Russian agents to influence the U.S. presidential election.
The new poll comes a week after Mr. Trump’s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen took a plea deal and pleaded guilty to eight counts in court and former campaign chairman Paul Manafort was found guilty on eight counts by a jury.
Cohen implicated the president during his sworn testimony before a judge on Aug. 22. He said the hush-money payments to Playboy playmate Karen McDougal and porn star Stormy Daniels were directed by the president himself, although he didn’t state the president by name in the testimony.
Speculation about the president’s involvement in Cohen’s actions grew when David Pecker, the CEO of American Media, which owns the National Enquirer, and Allen Weisselberg, Trump Organization CFO, were both offered immunity. They testified in the New York investigation into Cohen.
This new poll differs from a Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll released Monday that had Mr. Trump’s approval rating level at 40 percent.
However, Monday’s poll asked voters in the days immediately following the verdict and guilty plea, from Aug. 22-25. Friday’s survey asked voters after a few more days had passed, from Aug. 26-29.
• Gabriella Muñoz can be reached at gmunoz@washingtontimes.com.
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