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Tag: approval

Poll finds Trump has highest approval rating now than any point in 1st term

President Donald Trump has the highest approval rating now compared to any point during his first term in office, according to a new poll.

Forty-seven percent of Americans approve of Trump’s job performance in the less than a month since he was sworn in as the 47th president, the latest national survey by the Pew Research Center found.

While that’s higher than at any point while he served as the 45th president, Trump’s inaugural approval rating sinks below that of most other presidents since Ronald Reagan. George W. Bush’s approval rating early in his second term, however, was about the same as that of Trump now.

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President Donald Trump speaks to reporters in the Oval Office of the White House on Feb. 3, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

The poll, conducted Jan. 27 to Feb. 2 among 5,086 adults, found nearly three in ten adults, or 28%, view Trump’s actions as better than expected, while 36% said they have been what they expected.

His actions are viewed as worse than expected by 35% of adults.

Americans are fairly evenly split over how they believe Trump’s White House will affect the federal government. The survey found 41% of adults said they believe Trump’s administration will improve the way the federal government works, and 42% said they believe the state of the federal government will worsen with him in office.

President Donald Trump and Ivanka Trump stand for the National Anthem during the Super Bowl LIX Pregame at Caesars Superdome on Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Roc Nation)

Public opinion on Trump’s agenda remains starkly divided along partisan lines. The poll found 67% of Republicans, including those who lean red, support all or most of Trump’s plans and policies. For Democrats and those who lean blue, 84% support few or none. Almost an identical share of Republicans, 76%, said Trump will improve the way the federal government operates, as Democrats, 78%, said Trump will make the federal government run worse.

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For Republicans, 53% viewed Trump’s recent actions as better than expected, while the poll found 60% of Democrats view the president’s accomplishments as worse than expected.

As Trump enters his fourth week back in office, his efforts to slash wasteful federal government spending through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have caused a stir in Washington.

President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in the Oval Office of the White House on Feb. 7, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

His threat of tariffs against Canada and Mexico and levied against China over the flow of deadly fentanyl across American borders has similarly raised concerns. Trump’s angling for the Panama Canal and Greenland amid the increasing Chinese presence in the Western Hemisphere, as well as his administration overseeing a collapsing ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel in the Middle East have put the world on notice.

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Trump’s advisers are expected to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this week in Munich as the war with Russia stretches into its third year. Raging wildfires in California, a deadly military helicopter-passenger jet collision in D.C., and the continuing aftermath of last year’s hurricane devastation in the southeast, particularly in North Carolina, are putting Trump’s new Cabinet chiefs to the test on the domestic front, as is Trump’s crackdown on criminal illegal immigration.

Danielle Wallace is a breaking news and politics reporter at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to [email protected] and on X: @danimwallace.

February 11, 2025
House passes bill blocking future presidents from banning oil drilling without Congress’ approval

The Republican-led House passed legislation to block future administrations from enacting bans on oil and gas drilling without congressional approval.

In a vote on Friday, lawmakers passed the “Protecting American Energy Production Act” to prohibit the president from “declaring a moratorium on the use of hydraulic fracturing unless Congress authorizes the moratorium.”

There were 118 Democrats who voted against the legislation, while Republican House members unanimously voted in favor of its passage.

Since the campaign trail, President Donald Trump has vowed to unleash American-made energy as part of his ‘drill, baby, drill’ agenda. (Getty Images)

The bill comes after former President Joe Biden enacted several regulations on oil and gas during his term, including banning future oil and gas drilling along 625 million acres of coastal and offshore waters just weeks before he left office.

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Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, introduced the ‘Protecting American Energy Production Act.’ (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc)

Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, the Republican who introduced the bill, said concerns over potential fracking bans during the Biden administration was what prompted the legislation.

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“When President Biden took office, his administration took a ‘whole of government’ approach to wage war on American energy production, pandering to woke environmental extremists and crippling this thriving industry,” Pfluger said in a statement following the bill’s passage.

President Donald Trump speaks in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

“My legislation that passed today is a necessary first step in reversing Biden’s war on energy by preventing the federal government from banning the use of hydraulic fracturing,” he said.

Since the campaign trail, President Donald Trump has vowed to unleash American-made energy as part of his “drill, baby, drill” agenda.

Work continues at a shale gas well drilling site in St. Mary’s, Pa., March 12, 2020. (Keith Srakocic, File)

The legislation, if signed by the president into law, would prevent future administrations from banning the drilling method.

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On Monday, Secretary of Interior Doug Burgum stripped the energy sector of “coercive” climate policies and oil lease bans enacted under the Biden administration, launching internal investigations into agency actions that “burden” energy development.

Aubrie Spady is a Writer for Fox News Digital.

February 7, 2025
Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ non-opioid pain medication gets FDA approval

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A non-opioid pain medication made by Vertex Pharmaceuticals has received approval for adults from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The company’s “first-in-class” suzetrigine pain pill received the green light for treating moderate to severe acute pain in adults on Thursday, the federal agency said.

The medication reduces pain “by targeting a pain-signaling pathway involving sodium channels in the peripheral nervous system, before pain signals reach the brain,” according to the FDA.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ logo on a smartphone. (Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images / Getty Images)

It will use Journavx as its brand name.

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Vertex CEO Reshma Kewalramani touted Journavx as the “first new class of pain medicine approved in more than 20 years,” adding that the company has the “opportunity to change the paradigm of acute pain management and establish a new standard of care.”

The medication resulted in a “statistically significant” reduction in pain versus a placebo within two days for patients in a pair of trials who had received abdominoplasties and bunionectomies, according to Vertex. The trials were randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled and active-controlled.

“A new non-opioid analgesic therapeutic class for acute pain offers an opportunity to mitigate certain risks associated with using an opioid for pain and provides patients with another treatment option,” FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research Acting Director Dr. Jacqueline Corrigan-Curay said. “This action and the agency’s designations to expedite the drug’s development and review underscore FDA’s commitment to approving safe and effective alternatives to opioids for pain management.”

A sign for the Food And Drug Administration outside of the agency’s headquarters in White Oak, Maryland. (Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images / Getty Images)

Vertex said that almost 10% of patients initially given opioids to quell acute pain end up using opioids, which can be addictive, for a prolonged period of time.

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Journavx’s wholesale per-tablet acquisition cost will be $15.50, according to the company.

The FDA said that suzetrigine was “contraindicated” for people using “strong CYP3A inhibitors.” It is also advised that patients taking Vertex’s non-opioid medication not eat or drink anything containing grapefruit.

Ticker Security Last Change Change %

VRTX VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS INC. 461.68 +23.28 +5.31%

After the announcement of Journavx’s receipt of FDA approval, Vertex saw gains in its stock price, with its shares posting more than a 5% jump on Friday. Its market capitalization, meanwhile, hovered around $119.81 billion in the afternoon.

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The company said it was also looking into peripheral neuropathic pain applications for the medication.

Vertex has been in business since the late 1980s. Six of the company’s other drugs currently have FDA approval, according to its website.

January 31, 2025
A new security seal of approval is coming to your smart home gadgets
The White House has unveiled a groundbreaking initiative to enhance the security of internet-connected devices in American homes.

The U.S. Cyber Trust Mark, a new cybersecurity safety label, is set to appear on smart products sold in the United States later this year.

This program aims to help you make informed decisions about the safety of the smart devices you bring into your home.

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U.S. Cyber Trust Mark (FCC)

What is the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark?

The U.S. Cyber Trust Mark is a label designed for consumer smart devices, including home security cameras, TVs, internet-connected appliances, fitness trackers, climate control systems and baby monitors. This mark signals that a device meets a set of security features approved by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

How does it work?

Vendors can label their products with the Cyber Trust Mark logo if they meet NIST’s cybersecurity criteria. These criteria include:

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- Using unique and strong default passwords
- Providing software updates
- Implementing data protection measures
- Incorporating incident detection capabilities
Consumers will be able to scan a QR code next to the Cyber Trust Mark label to access additional security information. This information includes:
- Instructions for changing the default password
- Steps for securely configuring the device
- Details on automatic updates and how to access them
- The product’s minimum support period
- Notification if the manufacturer doesn’t offer updates for the device
U.S. Cyber Trust Mark (FCC)

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Why is this important?

There is a growing concern about cybercriminals remotely hacking into home security systems and malicious actors tapping into insecure home cameras. With the average U.S. household having 21 connected devices, according to a Deloitte study, the threat of cyberattacks is increasingly significant.

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When will we see it?

The program is set to launch in 2025. Companies will soon be able to submit their products for testing to earn the label, and major retailers like Best Buy and Amazon have committed to highlighting labeled products. The program has garnered support from major electronics, appliance and consumer product makers, including Amazon, Google, Best Buy, LG Electronics U.S.A., Logitech and Samsung Electronics.

What’s not on the Cyber Trust Mark menu?

While the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark aims to cover a wide range of smart home gadgets, not everything in your tech arsenal will be sporting this new seal of approval. Here’s a rundown of what’s left out:

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- Medical devices overseen by the FDA: Your smart pacemaker won’t be getting the mark.
- Cars and car equipment that are under the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s watchful eye: So, no Cyber Trust Mark on your fancy new electric vehicle.
- Wired devices: This program is all about wireless wonders.
- Industrial and enterprise gear: It’s focused on consumer products, not factory floors.
- Any equipment on the FCC’s naughty list (aka Covered List) or made by companies on that list
- IoT products from companies flagged for national security concerns
- Gadgets made by companies banned from federal shopping sprees
And here’s a surprise: Your trusty personal computer, smartphone and router won’t be getting the Cyber Trust Mark either, at least not yet. The program is kicking off with wireless consumer IoT products, but who knows? It might grow to include more devices down the road. For now, NIST is cooking up some cybersecurity rules for those consumer-grade routers we all rely on.

So, while you might not see the Cyber Trust Mark on everything in your tech toolkit, it’s a solid start in making our connected homes a bit safer from digital ne’er-do-wells.

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Home devices and cellphone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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Kurt’s key takeaways

The U.S. Cyber Trust Mark is a game-changer for you and me as consumers in our hyper-connected world. Let’s face it: Understanding device security can be a headache. But this program cuts through the tech jargon, giving us clear, easy-to-grasp info about the gadgets we’re considering bringing into our homes.

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How do you think the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark will impact your future purchasing decisions for smart home devices? Will you actively look for this label when shopping for new gadgets? Let us know what you think by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.
January 22, 2025