55 per cent white Americans view Trump's presidency as 'illegitimate'

Houston: A majority of young Americans, particularly those from minority communities, view Donald Trump as an "illegitimate" president and have disapproved his performance so far, a new poll has found.

The 'GenForward' survey, conducted by the Black Youth Project at the University of Chicago with the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, questioned young Americans about Trump's first 50 days in office and published the results in a report.

The poll has found that a majority of young Americans disapprove of US President Trump's performance, and a majority of those polled also view him as an "illegitimate" president.

The poll, according to the report, is "a nationally representative survey of over 1,750 young adults aged 18-30 conducted bimonthly."

The findings "show that young people widely disapprove of Donald Trump and his administration and young people express considerable concern about the direction of the country under the new president," although these opinions "vary widely across race and ethnicity."

When it comes to approval of Trump's performance thus far, the report states:[Y]oung people largely disapprove of the job Donald Trump has been doing as president. Majorities of African Americans (71 per cent), Asian Americans (69 per cent), Latino/as (72 per cent) and whites (55 per cent) disapprove of Donald Trump's performance so far as president.

But these negative evaluations are far more pronounced among young people of color who express the strongest disapproval of his job as president than among young whites.

The data discloses that large majorities of every racial and ethnic group say that both Trump's policies and his demeanor as president have been bad. Echoing the finding above, these negative perceptions are more common among young people of color than young whites.

And when it comes to Trump's "legitimacy" as president, the survey finds that?57 per cent?of young adults view his presidency as "illegitimate".

The report notes, however, that this number varies widely among ethnic and racial lines: Majority of whites (53 per cent) says Trump is a legitimate president, while only 25 per cent of African-Americans, 36 per cent of Asian-Americans, and 28 per cent of Latino as agree.

By contrast, majorities of young adults of color including 74 per cent of African-Americans, 60 per cent of Asian-Americans, 71 per cent of Latino as saying that Trump is an illegitimate president, a view shared by fewer (47 per cent) whites.

Thus, the concerns that young people of color have about Trump are widespread and extend to basic considerations about the legitimacy of his presidency. The survey also asked young Americans if they believe the country is headed "off on the wrong track" or "in the right direction."

"68 per cent of African-Americans and Asian-Americans, 64 per cent of Latino/as, and 61 per cent of whites say that things in this country are off on the wrong track," the report says.

"By contrast, only 11 per cent of African-Americans, 15 per cent of Asian-Americans and Latino/as, and 21 per cent of whites say the country is headed in the right direction."