Trump sees meager uptick in approval ratings mid-May as economy remains concernNew Foto - Trump sees meager uptick in approval ratings mid-May as economy remains concern

Following atorrent of polls released over the last few weeks,coinciding withPresident Donald Trump's first 100 days in office, the few polls released this week indicate a slight uptick in support for the president. Trump's average approval rating is 45% as of Friday, May 16, with a 51% disapproval number, according to theNew York Times' poll aggregationservice. That's a one-point uptick week over week, with Trump ending thefirst week of Maywith a 44% approval and 51% disapproval rating. Pollster Nate Silver's"Silver Bulletin" newsletterhas the same 45% approval and 51% disapproval aggregate Friday, whileRealClearPolitics' averageis a point higher at a 46% approval and 50% disapproval ranking. Trump began his term with a 47% approval rating, and saw his popularity dip through to his 100th day in office, when his job approval numbers reached historic lows not seen by any other president over the past several decades. Silver, founder of the now-defunct 538 political polling site, said in his Substack Friday that more data is needed to determine if the slight uptick in approval this week is a lasting trend or not. "Now this could just be noise driven by a dearth of new polls, or it could be a reversal of the downward trend we've seen since the start of Trump's term," he said in his "Silver Bulletin" newsletter. "We'll have to wait for more data to find out." Here's how the latest few polls measured how much Americans approve of Trump's job performance. 44% approve 52% disapprove Thesurvey, released May 13, showed 44% of respondents approved of the president's performance, up from 42% in a prior Reuters/Ipsos survey carried out April 25-27. The poll was taken May 12-13 of 1,163 adults, and has a margin of error of ±3 points. The survey concluded that Americans' concerns about a recession have eased over the last few weeks, but still remain high. Approximately 69% of respondents said they were concerned about a recession, Reuters said, down from 76% in a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted April 16-21. The share who said they worried about the stock market fell to 60% from 67% between the April and May surveys. 43% approve 52% disapprove Thepollwas conducted May 9-12 of 1,786 adult citizens, with a ±3.3% margin of error. Since the last survey conducted theweek prior, Trump's approval jumped one point while the percentage of those who disapprove remained the same. When asked how they approved of Trump'sjob performanceon education, health care, civil rights and civil liberties,40% of respondentssaid they approved of how he handled each category. Nearly half approved of Trump's approach to immigration and crime, while his lowest marks concerned the economy: with 42% approving of jobs and the economy, 38% of respondents agreeing with the president's stance on foreign trade, and just 35% approving of his position on inflation and prices. 46% approve 52% disapprove Trump's approval ratings are unchanged from last week's poll byMorning Consult. The Republican leader continues to get solid marks from 89% of Republican voters, Morning Consult says, while 58% of independents disapprove of his job performance. The poll was conducted May 9-11 among 2,221 registered U.S. voters, and has a margin of error of ±2 percentage points. Kathryn Palmer is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her atkapalmer@usatoday.comand on X @KathrynPlmr. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Trump approval ratings mid-May see small jump

byDaniel Coleman
in
May 16, 2025

Trump sees meager uptick in approval ratings mid-May as economy remains concern

Trump sees meager uptick in approval ratings mid-May as economy remains concern Following atorrent of polls released over the last few weeks...
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Romanian centrist has slight lead over hard-right ahead of tight Sunday vote-surveyNew Foto - Romanian centrist has slight lead over hard-right ahead of tight Sunday vote-survey

By Luiza Ilie BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Centrist Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan gained a slight lead over hard-right eurosceptic George Simion, an opinion poll on Friday showed, ahead of Sunday's presidential run-off vote seen as a test of the rise of Donald Trump-style nationalism in the European Union. Simion, who opposes military aid to neighbouring Ukraine and is critical of the EU leadership, decisively swept the first round of the presidential election rerun on May 4, triggering the collapse of a pro-Western coalition government which led to significant capital outflows. A Simion win in Sunday's run-off could isolate Romania, erode private investment and destabilise the eastern flank of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, diplomats and analysts have said. Dan, who pledged to clamp down on corruption, is staunchly pro-EU and NATO, and has said Romania's support for Ukraine is vital for its own security against a growing Russian threat. The poll by AtlasIntel, commissioned by local news website HotNews.ro, showed Dan would get 48.7% of votes to Simion's 47.8%. Some 1.8% of those surveyed said they would nullify their vote while another 1.7% were undecided. The survey of 5,628 people from May 13-15 had a margin of error of 1%, suggesting a very tight race. More importantly, the poll included the sizable diaspora vote, which strongly supported Simion in the first round. Voting in the diaspora has already begun and nearly 180,000 Romanians have cast their ballot, almost double the turnout by this time in the first round. An AtlasIntel poll earlier this week showed Dan and Simion neck-and-neck. SWING TOWARDS RUSSIA Romania had looked poised to swing towards Moscow after far-right newcomer Calin Georgescu topped the first round of voting in the presidential election in November. But the country's top court cancelled the election because of suspicions of Russian meddling, which Moscow has denied. Simion, who came fourth in the cancelled ballot, rallied behind Georgescu – who has been banned from standing again - and became his replacement. He has said he would appoint Georgescu as prime minister. On Friday evening, Georgescu told private television station Realitatea that he wanted the job while suggesting an openness towards Russia. "We have a very detailed plan to take back everything the EU owes us," he said appearing next to Simion. "We will double, triple (EU) fund absorption." "You must get along well with the great powers. America is first, the main partner in all. But beyond that ... we have China, Russia, Brazil. It is ... unimaginable to have adversarial relations; one must have relationships based on minimal respect." Georgescu, who has said he favours nationalizations and preferential treatment for Romanian-owned companies, is under criminal investigation on charges of belonging to a fascist group and campaign funding irregularities. (Reporting by Luiza Ilie; Editing by Richard Chang)

byDaniel Coleman
in
May 16, 2025

Romanian centrist has slight lead over hard-right ahead of tight Sunday vote-survey

Romanian centrist has slight lead over hard-right ahead of tight Sunday vote-survey By Luiza Ilie BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Centrist Bucharest M...
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U.S. developing plan to move 1 million Palestinians to Libya, NBC News reportsNew Foto - U.S. developing plan to move 1 million Palestinians to Libya, NBC News reports

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration is working on a plan to permanently relocate as much as one million Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to Libya, NBC News reported on Friday, citing five people with knowledge of the matter. Citing two people with direct knowledge and a former U.S. official, NBC also reported that the plan is under serious enough consideration that the U.S. has discussed it with Libya's leadership. In exchange for resettling the Palestinians, the administration would release to Libya billions of dollars of funds the U.S. froze more than a decade ago, according to NBC and citing the same three people. (Reporting by Jasper Ward)

byDaniel Coleman
in
May 16, 2025

U.S. developing plan to move 1 million Palestinians to Libya, NBC News reports

U.S. developing plan to move 1 million Palestinians to Libya, NBC News reports WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration is working on...
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Trump administration suggests it's not seeking power over the Federal ReserveNew Foto - Trump administration suggests it's not seeking power over the Federal Reserve

A lawyer for the Trump administration said Friday that its attempts to expandthe president's powertofire peoplemay not extend to the ability to fire the head of the Federal Reserve Board. "Nothing that we do here dictates what happens to the Fed, full stop," Harry Graver, a lawyer for the Department of Justice, said Friday under questioning from judges from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Trump fired membersof National Labor Relations Board and the Merit Systems Protection Board, which handle worker complaints in the private and public sectors, despite laws protecting their jobs while they serve set terms. The Trump administration says those protections are unconstitutional. The Trump administration has alreadyasked the Supreme Courtto take up the case promptly, causing concern over whether the head of the Federal Reserve Board, who has similar job protections,could be at riskshould theSupreme Courtrule in the administration's favor. Trump has along history of attacking Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Trump said in April that Powell's "termination cannot come fast enough!" and called Powell "a major loser."Trump backed offdays later as financial markets went into a frenzy, but lashed out again this month after Powelldeclined to cut interest rates. "The Federal Reserve I think presents a distinct constitutional question not before this court," Graver told the judges, who said they have received multiple arguments from outside parties saying the case affects the central bank. Judge Florence Pan pressed Graver to explain why the Federal Reserve should be carved out as an exception to boards Trump should have control over, but the labor boards should not. "With respect to monetary policy, the core function of the Fed, we have not taken a position, because it's a hard historical question," Graver said. Humphreys Executor:How Trump's firings could expand presidential power Earlier in the hearing, Graver made the administration's argument that any entity that exercises executive power must be answerable to the president, because he is answerable to the people. The legal argument was a key underlying principle within Project 2025, which Democrats argued created too much centralized power. "The way in which the executive branch should work turns on accountability," Graver said. "It is a unitary, energetic executive that answers to the people." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:DOJ: Letting Trump fire independent boards excludes Federal Reserve

byDaniel Coleman
in
May 16, 2025

Trump administration suggests it's not seeking power over the Federal Reserve

Trump administration suggests it's not seeking power over the Federal Reserve A lawyer for the Trump administration said Friday that its...
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'I feel very scared': Some Americans fear losing coverage due to proposed Medicaid cutsNew Foto - 'I feel very scared': Some Americans fear losing coverage due to proposed Medicaid cuts

Key components of the bill to fund President Donald Trump's agenda looks to provide major tax breaks by cutting spending elsewhere, includingmassive cuts to Medicaid. Medicaid is a joint federal and state health insurance program for disabled and low-income Americans. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) works with state programs to administer Medicaid, under which more than71.2 million peopleare enrolled. Medicaid offers benefits including nursing home care, personal care services and assistance paying for premiums and other costs, according to CMS. MORE: 'What a joke': Republicans lock horns over Medicaid proposal Ananalysisfrom the Congressional Budget Office estimates cuts to Medicaid could increase the number of people without health insurance by at least 8.6 million by 2034. "Medicaid is an important safety net for so many Americans," Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, president of the American Nurse Association, told ABC News. "When we look at the most vulnerable and most underserved, it's going to impact these groups disproportionately." Many Republicans have insisted that cuts to Medicaid are only to eliminate fraud, waste and abuse and will not result in lost coverage for those who need it, which wasrepeated during testimonythis week by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. But some Americans who rely on Medicaid for their own coverage, or coverage for their families, told ABC News they're worried that cuts could reduce their ability to receive health care, or force them to choose between paying for coverage or paying for necessities. Rosa Andresen, from Southgate, California, has been her 27-year-old daughter's caregiver for the past 13 years. Her daughter, Amanda, is disabled and has conditions including cerebral palsy and a seizure disorder. Over a decade ago, Andresen left her job at a data entry retrieval company to care for her daughter full time. Andresen, 54, said Amanda is covered by Medicare and Medicaid, which has helped pay for diapers, seizure medication and mobility tools such as a shower chair and a ramp to help her go up and down stairs. It's unclear if Amanda would lose Medicaid coverage under the new proposal but, if she did, it would be a massive blow to her care, Andresen said. "It's very devastating," Andresen told ABC News. "I'm very, very sad, and I feel very scared for my daughter's well-being. It could drastically affect her health and her life, the quality of life that she has." MORE: The GOP is trying again to cut Medicaid. It's only gotten harder since 2017 Andresen said she is scared that she will receive a letter in the mail telling her that her daughter is no longer eligible for Medicaid or she'll take Amanda to a doctor's appointment and find out that her daughter cannot receive care there or can no longer be prescribed a certain medication. She said she has tried to see if she could get private insurance for her daughter, such as through her husband's job, but insurance companies allegedly told her they don't cover people with chronic illnesses. According to theHHS, "health insurers can no longer charge more or deny coverage to you or your child because of a pre-existing health condition like asthma, diabetes, or cancer, as well as pregnancy". While California does have Medi-Cal, which is the state's implementation of the federal Medicaid program, Andresen said she doesn't know what the program would cover and what she would have to pay out of pocket. "I use government assistance to buy food, like the [electronic benefit transfer], to put food at my table and if I have to also use money out of my pocket, I don't know if I'm going to be able to make it if I [have to] decide to buy my daughter's medication or put food on the table," Andresen said. Four years ago, Jodie Montplaisir, a mother-of-five from North Hampton, Massachusetts, was struggling with opioid use disorder. She was unhoused, unemployed and separated from her children. Montplaisir said she realized she had hit a low point and needed help. She entered an opioid treatment program (OTP), paid for by Medicaid. "I really just was like, 'I need to fix my life,' and I did," Montplaisir, 38, told ABC News. "I really stuck in with the clinic and doing all of the meetings, all the groups, all my therapy, just really utilizing the clinic … and they really helped me." MORE: Here are the times Trump has said he wouldn't cut Medicaid Montplaisir is now three years into her recovery, currently living in an apartment, reunited with her children and has a job working with unhoused people. Medicaid currently covers her medication-assisted treatment, and she attends clinic weekly to stay accountable. However, she fears any interruption, such as red tape or new requirements, could jeopardize her progress. "If I didn't have Medicaid, I wouldn't have been able to do the clinic," she said. "There's absolutely no way possible. If I didn't have Medicaid and the help of the system, I wouldn't have been able to do it alone." The Republicans'proposed billwould impose work requirements on able-bodied Medicaid recipients -- at least 80 hours per month -- or require enrolling in an educational program for at least 80 hours or some combination per month. Not all Republicans are in favor the bill in its current form. A growing number of House GOP members are expressing grievances, some because they don't believe the bill does enough to protect vulnerable Americans and others because it does not include some of the most drastic cuts that Republican hardliners were pushing for. Montplaisir said if work requirements were in place when she was in OTP, it would have made it impossible for her to focus on her recovery, and it will make it difficult for the unhoused people she now works with. While the draft language has exemptions for certain adults, including those who have substance use disorder, Montplaisir worries proving an exemption could be complex and may result in lost coverage anyway. Additionally, trying to prove work requirements as opposed to focusing on recovery could derail people's progress, she said. "Medicaid is there to help us ... how we supposed to work if we're trying to get sober?" Montplaisir said. "If I had to have paid money while I'm trying to get sober or having to work while I'm trying to get sober, it wouldn't work." ABC News' John Parkinson and Lauren Peller contributed to this report. 'I feel very scared': Some Americans fear losing coverage due to proposed Medicaid cutsoriginally appeared onabcnews.go.com

byDaniel Coleman
in
May 16, 2025

'I feel very scared': Some Americans fear losing coverage due to proposed Medicaid cuts

'I feel very scared': Some Americans fear losing coverage due to proposed Medicaid cuts Key components of the bill to fund President...
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