Biden's approval rating hits 59% as he reaches end of first 100 days

Joe Biden approaches the 100-day mark of his presidency with a strong approval rating of 59 per cent, a new Pew poll found, and while most approve of his work on the coronavirus pandemic there are rising concerns about his handling of the border.

Biden garnered the approval of three-quarters of Americans – 72 per cent – for his administration’s managing the manufacture and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, the poll found, with him getting a majority of approval of both Democrats and Republicans.

His handling of the virus has contributed to his overall high approval numbers.  

Joe Biden approaches the 100-day mark of his presidency with a strong approval rating of 59 per cent

Additionally, two-thirds approved of Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID relief package with 49 per cent saying it would have a positive affect on their families and just 14 per cent thought it would affect them negatively. 

Donald Trump’s administration also got some credit: 55 per cent said the Trump administration had done well with the development of COVID vaccines. But only 43 per cent said Trump had been successful when it came to getting the vaccines made and distributed.

Biden’s overall 59 per cent approval rating, with its 39 per cent disapproval, is on par with Barack Obama’s 61 per cent and George W. Bush’s 55 per cent as they approached their own first 100 days in office. And it far exceeds Donald Trump’s 39 per cent.

The president’s approval rating also saw a small uptick from Pew’s poll last month, when Biden’s rating was 54 per cent.  

The new poll from the Pew Research Center also found the share of people citing illegal immigration as a major problem has increased 20 points – from 28 per cent to 48 per cent.

While most Republicans see immigration as a huge problem – 72 per cent – the number of Democrats who see it that way is on the rise, up to 29 per cent from 15 per cent.  

President Joe Biden’s approval rating near the 100 day mark was on par with other past presidents like Barack Obama and George W Bush, seen in the Oval Office with George HW Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter in 2009

President Biden’s approval rating at the 100 day mark was notably higher than President Trump’s was at his 100 day mark

The poll was conducted from April 5 to 11 and reached 5,109 respondents. 

Biden will speak to a joint session of Congress on April 28, shortly before his hundred day mark. He’s also set goals such as 200 million shots in the arms of Americans by his 100th day in office.