Poll: Nearly half disapprove of Trump’s decision to fire Comey

Nearly half of Americans disapprove of President Trump’s decision to fire FBI Director James Comey, according to a poll released Friday.

According to the Gallup poll, 39 percent approve of the decision while 46 percent disapprove. Fifteen percent of respondents said that they have no opinion about the ousting.

The survey found deep divisions along party lines, with 79 percent of Republicans approving of the firing and only 14 percent of Democrats saying the same.

Gallup found that the move is also less popular than former President Bill Clinton’s firing of his FBI director, William Sessions, in 1993. That was the last time a president fired his FBI chief.

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At that point in time, 44 percent of respondents said that they approved of the decision while only 24 percent disapproved. Thirty-two percent did not have an opinion, according to the poll.

Gallup’s survey this week found similar approval for Trump’s decision to oust Comey compared to an NBC News/Survey Monkey poll this week.

In that survey, 38 percent of respondents said ousting the director was appropriate, though a higher percentage – 54 percent – said it was not appropriate.

Gallup’s survey of 1,013 adults was conducted May 10-11 and it has a margin of error of 4 percent.