Americans may like his handling of the economy, but it appears most don't like President Donald Trump.
Glowing views on that economy have failed to boost his overall approval rating, according to two major polls, which could signal possible trouble for the president's 2020 re-election bid if the economy loses steam.
More than half of voters — 53%— approve of how Trump is handling the economy, versus 42% who disapprove, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Tuesday. The economic approval rating is the highest the university has measured since Trump took office.
Still, only 41% of voters said they approve of the job Trump is doing as president, while 54% said they disapprove. He gets better readings on the economy than any other issue area polled by Quinnipiac, including foreign policy, immigration, gun policy and race relations.
A CBS News poll released Tuesday found a similar divergence. It showed only 39% of Americans approve of Trump's overall job performance, even as 52% back his handling of the economy. About three-quarters of respondents, 74% rated the economy as "very good" or "fairly good."
The gulf between economic outlook and opinions on Trump may come down to poor approval of his personality and behavior — traits such as honesty, leadership and values.
Of course, there is no guarantee that growth slows down, and Trump could go into the 2020 election with a strong economy behind him. Other factors could also boost his approval rating in the nearly two years before the November 2020 election.
Unknowns could also work against Trump in that time. Special counsel Robert Mueller will likely conclude his investigation into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia during the 2016 election.
