Domenico Montanaro

That presents a political challenge for Trump's State of the Union address in this midterm election year.

Domenico Montanaro, NPR News, Washington.

Well, I mean, 57% say that it is not strong.

That's up four points from last year.

That includes eight and 10 Democrats and nearly seven and 10 independents who say that it's not strong.

Three quarters of Republicans, though, say that it is strong.

Maybe no surprise given that Trump is in office and they've backed him on almost everything else.

Yeah, I mean, there are really big splits by education and gender.

I mean, of those with college degrees, 69% say that the State of the Union is not strong.

Those without degrees, though, are split 50-50.

Women, 63% say that the State of the Union is not strong.

That's 12 points higher than men.

Both of those divides have been really pronounced throughout this decade with Trump on the political scene.

and how people view him.

And here on the eve of Trump's report about the country, it really gives a good view of how some Americans are seeing things.

Yeah, we asked about whether people thought the country was better off or worse off than a year ago, just after Trump came into office.

60% say that the country is worse off now.

55% see the direction that Trump is moving the country as, quote, change for the worse.

And that, by the way, is the highest number that Trump has faced in either of his terms in our poll.

Yeah, here's one place where majorities across parties agreed, saying that there is a serious threat to democracy.