Majority of Americans Pessimistic or Uncertain About Trump Presidency: Poll

Still, the country is sounding a more optimistic tone about the future of the economy

As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to be sworn in as the country's commander-in-chief, a majority of Americans say they are either uncertain or pessimistic about his presidency, even as the country is sounding a more optimistic tone about the future of the economy and Trump's ability to bring positive change to Washington D.C.

A new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll finds 54 percent of adults saying that they are either uncertain (25 percent) or pessimistic and worried (29 percent) about how Trump will perform during his presidency, compared with 45 percent with either an optimistic and confident view (22 percent) or a satisfied and hopeful view (23 percent).

That's a significantly worse outlook than Americans expressed after the elections of both Barack Obama and George W. Bush.

A combined 66 percent were either optimistic or hopeful about Obama in January 2009, according to the same poll, while 59 percent were optimistic or hopeful about George W. Bush in January 2001.

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