Trump State of the Union 2018 verdict: poll finds the public liked it but not as much as last year

Finding still falls short of reception for last year's speech

A wide majority of Americans had a positive reaction to Donald Trump’s State of the Union speech, according to a snap CNN poll.

The survey found that some 70 per cent of viewers approved of Mr Trump’s address, with 48 percent of them having a “very positive” impression of the speech.

That still lagged behind the reception for Mr Trump’s address to Congress last year, his first.

A CNN poll after that speech found some 57 per cent of viewers felt “very positive” about his performance.

While he has shown a propensity in previous speeches to stray from prepared remarks, Mr Trump stuck to the script in his first State of the Union address.

The President touted a surging economy under his watch, holding up his recently passed tax cuts and reiterating a familiar vow to crack down on illegal immigration.

He also called on Congress to help him pass an immigration overhaul and advance an infrastructure funding package, two longstanding goals that have eluded Mr Trump so far.