As President Trump is set to leave the White House after a tumultuous and chaotic four years, having been the first president to ever be impeached twice and having his last year dominated by a worldwide pandemic, most Americans say he will go down as either below average or one of the worst presidents in U.S. history, according to an NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist survey.
The poll also found Americans are the most pessimistic they have been in decades about the direction of the country. But they have more positive views of President-elect Joe Biden, how he’s handled the transition and whether he will do more to unite than divide the country. As for Biden’s inauguration, two-thirds believe it should be held as planned despite security concerns.
After he is sworn in, Americans are clear they believe vaccine distribution should be Biden’s top priority in handling the coronavirus pandemic. That’s followed by financial relief to small businesses, which have been hit hard by the economic impact of the virus with many Americans staying home.
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