Ellington

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump came into office as the most unpopular new president in the history of modern polling. Things have not improved.

After seven months, Trump's dismal approval ratings keep setting undesirable records. He's already passed the mark for the lowest approval rating for a first-year president. And Trump's current approval rating of 34 percent is worse than Barack Obama's ever was.

Trump's early unpopularity defies some longstanding U.S. patterns. Dives in approval are often tied to outside forces, such as a sluggish economy. Americans also tend to be optimistic about new leaders and typically cut presidents some slack in their early days in office.

Gallup's most recent weekly estimate shows Trump only 37 percent of Americans now view him positively. Gallup's shorter, three-day average puts it at 34 percent.