Last updated on July 17th, 2023 at 09:33 pm
While Donald Trump and many Republicans are trying to paint last week’s stunning election results as a mandate for Trump to carry out his frightening campaign agenda, most Americans are saying, “Not so fast.”
According to a new Washington Post/Schar School poll, just 29 percent of Americans think the results of the Nov. 8 presidential election give Trump a mandate to follow through on his plans, which would include proposals like the Muslim registry/ban, a deportation force, and building a border wall – all agenda items the Trump team is moving forward with as we speak.
Poll: 29 percent of Americans say @realDonaldTrump has a mandate to carry out agenda https://t.co/cDj9Z5s2HD | AP Photo pic.twitter.com/1FrwzFmOVV
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— POLITICO (@politico) November 16, 2016
In all, about 60 percent of Americans think Trump should compromise with Democrats if they strongly oppose something he is proposing – which is (rightfully so) nearly everything on his agenda.
One particular promise Trump made during the campaign was to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the email server Hillary Clinton used during her time as Secretary of State. The president-elect even suggested that he would “lock her up.”
According to the poll, though, a sizable majority of Americans – 57 percent – don’t want Trump to do that, compared to just 36 percent who do. Though, after winning the electoral college last week, the president-elect has nothing but nice things to say about the Clintons, even remarking in his recent ’60 Minutes’ interview that he doesn’t “want to hurt them.”
Ultimately, the survey indicates that Trump will be entering office without much optimism or solid support from the American public, including those that may have voted for him. The poll even found that disappointment is the number one emotion felt by Americans following last week’s results.
Unlike most incoming presidents, it appears that there will be no honeymoon phase for Donald Trump.
Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.