As President Biden returns from an overseas trip marking one year since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, voters give their highest marks to date for his handling of that situation – but his rating on the most important issue to them, the economy, remains dismal.
Here are six takeaways from the latest Fox News national survey.
-- A growing number are feeling pain in the pocketbook.
Some 57% say they have less money in their pocket than they did a year ago. That’s up 7 points from 50% who felt that way last February. Those feeling hardest hit include Republican women (78% less money now), rural Whites (69%), Gen Xers (63%), and voters with annual income below $50,000 (62%).
Fully 78% say the economy is in only fair or poor condition, mostly unchanged for the last year.
That’s how the economy remains the top issue, with 36% saying it’s the most important problem facing the country -- and it’s the number one choice among Democrats, Republicans, and independents. While that 36% is down from 42% in December, it still far outdistances the next highest priorities of immigration/border security (13%), climate (10%), and guns (9%).
FORMER OBAMA ECONOMIST SAYS ‘LITTLE’ IF ANY PROGRESS' MADE ON INFLATION UNDER BIDEN
-- Biden receives best approval ratings yet on Ukraine, foreign policy.
Biden’s worst job ratings continue to be on inflation, with 31% approving. And that’s a high point -- approval went as low as 23% in June 2022. His ratings are also well underwater on the economy (36% approve, 62% disapprove), immigration (36-61%), guns (36-60%), and the opioid epidemic (36-56%).
As the survey was underway, Biden made a surprise visit to Kyiv (Feb. 20) and gave a major speech in Warsaw reaffirming the U.S. commitment to Ukraine (Feb. 21).
His ratings are similar on national security (45-51%). Approval on foreign policy is up 2 points since October and stands at a high mark (43-52%). For reference, at around this same point in his administration, former President Donald Trump’s foreign policy rating was 38-53%. He never hit 50% approval on foreign policy.
Currently, 44% approve and 55% disapprove of Biden’s overall job performance. That’s mostly unchanged over the last five months. About twice as many continue to strongly disapprove as strongly approve.
-- Over half say the U.S. responded correctly to Chinese spy balloon.
Biden’s underwater by only 3 points on his handling of the Chinese spy balloon (46-49%), and majorities think the U.S. government reacted appropriately by shooting down the balloon (54%) and the other flying objects (55%).
At the same time, there’s widespread belief the government did a bad job communicating with the American people on these airborne activities (68%). Nearly half of Democrats join most Republicans and independents in that negative assessment.
The government tracked the Chinese balloon for days before the military shot it down. About five times as many Republicans as Democrats think the U.S. failed to react seriously enough.
"We acted accordingly, and believe me, the message was clearly sent to China that this is unacceptable," National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said Feb. 19 on Fox News Sunday.
Some 63% are extremely or very concerned about the spy balloon and other airborne objects. To put that in perspective, that ranks below eight of the nine issues asked about on the January Fox News survey, including inflation (86% concerned), crime (80%), political divisions in the country (78%), opioid addiction (76%), and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine (68%).
More than 9 in 10 across the political spectrum agree China generally poses a threat to the U.S. However, far more Republicans (76%) than independents (67%) and Democrats (60%) describe it as a "major" threat.
WE NEED AN ‘OMELET PRICE INDEX’ TO SHOW REAL PAIN CAUSED BY BIDEN INFLATION
-- Views on Biden canceling student loan debt are mixed.
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Feb. 28 on challenges to Biden’s authority to cancel student debt. The poll finds 49% think Biden exceeded his authority under the Constitution by creating the program, while almost as many, 44%, say it was within his power.
On the program itself, a majority supports canceling at least some college debt, as 25% say all of it should be forgiven and another 37% would cancel up to $20,000 for individuals with annual income of $125,000 or less. Thirty-six percent wouldn’t forgive any of it.
Democrats would forgive at least some debt (87%) and say Biden acted within his authority (70%), while Republicans say none should be forgiven (61%) and the president overstepped his authority (79%). Independents say forgive some debt (62%), but also think Biden overstepped (54%).
Voters with and without a college degree are equally likely to support canceling some debt, but more of those without a degree think Biden exceeded his authority creating the program.
DEBUNKING BIDEN'S 4 BIGGEST LIES ABOUT THE ECONOMY
-- Low approval of White House handling of Feb. 3 Ohio toxic train derailment.
Thirty-three percent approve, while 57% disapprove of how the administration is dealing with the aftermath of the Ohio train derailment. That’s driven by 82% of Republicans, 60% of independents, and 32% of Democrats disapproving. Regionally, disapproval mostly holds consistent, ranging from 54% in the Northeast to 58% in the Midwest where it happened to 59% in the South. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg first visited the area Feb. 23 and Environmental Protection Agency head Michael Regan was onsite Feb. 16.
-- Most think Hunter Biden did something wrong.
About half of voters are very or somewhat closely following the congressional investigations into the president’s son’s business dealings with Ukraine and China.
One voter in five (18%) think Hunter Biden didn’t do anything seriously wrong, while far more think he either did something unethical (36%) or downright illegal (37%). Most Republicans say he did something illegal (69%), while the largest number of Democrats (44%) and independents (43%) say unethical, but not illegal. Some 31% of Democrats say he didn’t do anything wrong.
CLICK HERE FOR TOPLINE AND CROSSTABS
Conducted February 19-22, 2023, under the joint direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News Poll includes interviews with 1,006 registered voters nationwide who were randomly selected from a voter file and spoke with live interviewers on both landlines and cellphones. The total sample has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points.
