Poll: More than three-quarters of Americans approve of Trump-Kim meeting

More than three-quarters of Americans approve of President Trump’s plans to hold talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, according to a CNN poll released Thursday.

At the same time, 53 percent of respondents approve of Trump’s handling of North Korea more broadly, according to the survey. Thirty-five percent of respondents disapprove.

Seventy-seven percent of respondents said they see the president’s plans to meet with Kim favorably — a large increase from a poll in late March, which pegged support for the decision around 62 percent, according to CNN. 

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The survey shows broad support for the meeting no matter the party affiliation of respondents.

Conservative and Republican respondents overwhelmingly approved of Trump’s decision to meet with Kim — 83 percent and 92 percent, respectively, according to the CNN poll. 

But majorities of Democrats and liberals also voiced support for the move. Sixty-two percent of Democrats and 67 percent of liberals said they approve of the decision.

Seventy-nine percent of independents approve of the decision, according to the poll.

The CNN poll was conducted by the research firm SSRS from May 2-5 and surveyed 1,015 U.S. adults. The margin of error for the full sample is 3.6 percentage points, although survey results for subgroups may have varying margins or error.

Trump is expected to meet Kim sometime in late May or in June. The summit will mark the first such encounter between a sitting U.S. president and a North Korean leader.

The poll results came hours after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo returned to the U.S. from Pyongyang, where he secured the release of three American prisoners. Trump greeted the recently released men upon their arrival at Joint Base Andrews early Thursday morning.

When Trump sits down with Kim for the planned summit, he is expected to demand an end to North Korea’s nuclear program. Kim has reportedly indicated that he is willing to discuss denuclearization.