Recent polling from YouGov, conducted shortly after the presidential debate on September 10-11, unveils a stark portrayal of Donald Trump from respondents. The most commonly selected descriptor for the former president, chosen by 54% of those surveyed, was “rude.”
Another significant term, with 50% agreement, was “old.” Interestingly, only 1% of respondents categorized Trump’s opponent, Kamala Harris, as “old.” Besides “rude” and “old,” a mix of contrasting terms filled the list of descriptors for Trump.
For instance, 45% viewed him as “tough,” yet 46% labeled him “reckless.” Additionally, 38% described Trump as “weird,” a descriptor that gained traction during Tim Walz’s campaign for a VP spot alongside Harris.
Furthermore, 42% characterized him as “bold” and another 42% as “patriotic.” Only 15% saw him as “religious,” a number still higher than Harris’s 7% in the same category. This slight edge in perceived religiosity may matter, as a Gallup poll notes that 45% of Americans find religion “very important.”
On the flip side, just 9% felt that “cautious” fit Trump. According to this poll, 55% believed Harris performed better in the debate. When asked who was more qualified to be president, 47% chose Trump while 50% opted for Harris.
Despite a majority viewing Harris as more qualified and perceiving Trump as “rude” and “old,” the poll indicated that voters tend to trust Trump more regarding critical issues such as the economy, crime, veterans, immigration, inflation, taxes, national defense, and foreign policy. Since inflation is a top concern—identified by 65% of voters as a “very big problem” in a recent Pew Research poll—how each candidate’s approach may resonate with the electorate is vital.
The Trump campaign has been reached out to for further comment.