A recent survey shows that 54% of Americans approve of Donald Trump's performance as President-elect, signaling strong support ahead of his inauguration.

The Center for American Political Studies at Harvard University and the Harris Poll (CAPS-Harris) released findings on November 19 indicating that 54% of respondents approved of the work President-elect Trump is doing in the transition period, while 40% expressed disapproval.

Among the respondents, 91% of Republican voters, 49% of independents, and 22% of Democrats expressed approval of Trump’s performance. Conversely, nearly 75% of Democrats and about 40% of independents disapproved.

The survey, conducted on November 13-14 with 1,732 participants, also highlighted that Trump’s approval rating as President-elect was 12 percentage points higher than that of President Joe Biden at a similar point in his transition. The poll results come as Trump initiates the transition process and announces key cabinet nominees, including Republican Senator Marco Rubio for Secretary of State and Representative Elise Stefanik as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.

Trump has also put forward controversial picks, such as former Representative Matt Gaetz for Attorney General and Fox News host Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense.

During Trump’s first term, his approval rating in Gallup polls never reached 50%, peaking at 49% only a few times. According to a Pew Research Center poll in early 2021, as he concluded his first term, his approval rating stood at 29%.

Pollster Mark Penn described the current approval rating as a crucial development for the President-elect. "This is a positive start, with Trump’s performance approval above 50%. Maintaining this level of support will be essential for effectively governing the country," Penn stated.