Poll: Trump's approval rating up

WASHINGTON -- The good news for President Donald Trump? His approval rating is up 7 points since last month, according to a new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

The bad news? That only lifts Trump's approval to 42 percent, low for a president at this point in his tenure.

Still, the trajectory is a welcome shift for a White House battered by chaos, controversies and internal upheaval. The poll suggests at least some of the president's improving standing is tied to the economy and the Republican tax overhaul, which offers a glimmer of hope for GOP lawmakers who plan to make both issues the centerpiece of their efforts to maintain control of Congress in November.

Nearly half of Americans surveyed, 47 percent, say they approve of how Trump is handling the economy, his highest rating on any issue. When it comes to tax policy, 46 percent of Americans back Trump's moves.

Overall, taxes and the economy are the brightest spots for Trump, who gets lower numbers from voters on a range of other issues, including his handling of North Korea (42 percent), trade (41 percent), gun control (39 percent) and the budget deficit (35 percent).

Trump has benefited from an increasingly healthy economy boosting consumer and business sentiment. The 4.1 percent unemployment rate is the lowest since 2000 without the same kinds of excesses fueling that era's tech bubble.

While Trump attributes the gains to his tax cuts and deregulation efforts, many economists say conditions so far are largely a continuation of the momentum from the gradual expansion beginning during the Obama administration.

The poll also found just 32 percent of Americans think tariffs on steel and aluminum will lead to an increase in jobs, compared with 36 percent who think it will lead to a decrease.

Forty percent think it will lead to an increase in consumer prices, while 39 percent think it will lead to a decrease.