Trump cited as top reason 2017 will be better and worse than 2016 Among those who say 2017 will be better than 2016, why do you think this? Donald administra Trump/ General optimism Among those who say 2017 will be worse than 2016, why do you think this?
On a follow-up question on why 2017 will be better or worse than 2016, mentions of Donald Trump dominate among both those optimistic and pessimistic about the year ahead.
Overall, 56% of those who think 2017 will be better say Trump is the reason they feel this way. No other response comes close (15% offer general mentions of optimism, while 11% express some form of economic optimism).
Among those who think 2017 will be worse than 2016, Trump is even more widely cited as the reason for their view. About seven-in-ten (72%) say Trump is the reason why they expect the year ahead to be worse. Far fewer cite other reasons, such as the political divisions in the country (6%) or pessimism about the Republican-controlled Congress (6%).
Trump cited as top reason 2017 will be  | better and worse than 2016  | Among those who say 2017 will be better than 2016,  | why do you think this?  | Donald administra Trump/  | 56  | New administra ation  | General optimism  | 15  | Optimism about  | 11  | the economy  | "Things can't get  | any worse  | Personal reasons  | Country moving in  | conservative direction  | Among those who say 2017 will be worse than 2016,  | why do you think this?  | New Donald administration Trump/  | .72  | New administration Trump/  | General political  | divisions in country  | Pessimism about  | Congress, VGOP  | General pessimism  | Pessimism about  | racism/race relations  | Pessimism about  | the economy  | Notes: Open-ended question. Reponses with frequencies of3% or  | Notes: greater Open-ended shown See topline question. for Reponses all 49. mentions 2017 and frequencies fulltrend of3% Q6F1. or  | greater Source Survey conducted Jan. 49. 2017  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 