WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Americans' satisfaction with the way things are going in the U.S. has edged up to 25% in November from this year's low of 21% last month, a reading that likely resulted from the mass shooting in Las Vegas on Oct. 1. The current U.S. satisfaction reading remains lower than most readings taken earlier this year, including this year's high of 32% in April.
These findings are based on a Gallup poll conducted Nov. 2-8.
Modestly higher readings among Republicans and independents explain this month's uptick. Democrats' satisfaction is now at 9%, independents' is at 26%, and Republicans' is at 44%. The latter two groups are both up six percentage points from last month, while Democrats' satisfaction is about the same.
Republicans still remain less satisfied than in the months just after Donald Trump's inauguration in January. Republicans' satisfaction was as high as 58% in May. Democrats' satisfaction has been at or below 16% every month since Donald Trump took office in January.
Differences across other subgroups reflect underlying partisan patterns. Conservatives are much more satisfied with the direction of the U.S. than are moderates and liberals. Additionally, those who approve of the way Trump and Congress are doing their jobs are more positive on this measure than are those who disapprove. Men are more satisfied than women, whites are more satisfied than nonwhites, and those living in the Midwest are more satisfied than those living on the two coasts.
Relevance for leaders: This measure continues to provide a broad indication of Americans' discontent with the way things are going in the U.S., which is notable given the public's positive views of the economy. Gallup previously has found that high levels of dissatisfaction reflect, in part, Americans' concerns about the government and the way it is operating. Republicans' declining satisfaction since Trump's inauguration is a warning sign to GOP leaders that despite their control of the executive and legislative branches, their base may be concerned about promises going unfulfilled.
Gallup Analytics
Subscribe to our online platform and access nearly a century of primary data.
Survey Methods
Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted Nov. 2-8, 2017, with a random sample of 1,028 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. For results based on the total sample of national adults, the margin of sampling error is ±4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All reported margins of sampling error include computed design effects for weighting.
Each sample of national adults includes a minimum quota of 70% cellphone respondents and 30% landline respondents, with additional minimum quotas by time zone within region. Landline and cellular telephone numbers are selected using random-digit-dial methods.
View survey methodology, complete question responses and trends.
Learn more about how the Gallup Poll Social Series works.
