Six weeks ago, President Donald Trump could credibly say that he and his agenda were popular. His boasts of popular support were backed by data: Half of the country approved of the job he was doing for most of his first month on the job, according to polling averages. And though the share of Americans who disapproved gradually increased, he still maintained a net positive rating.

That’s over now.

As Trump prepares to address a joint session of Congress Tuesday evening, roughly even shares of the country approve and disapprove of his presidency. The share of Americans who view him positively continues to drop. And it doesn’t seem likely that he’ll see a boost anytime soon.

Presidents generally enjoy a honeymoon period during the first few weeks of their new administrations — that period when a recently elected (or reelected) president is most popular and has the political capital to push for new legislation or policy. They typically get the benefit of the doubt from independents and some partisans from the opposition, while enjoying nearly universal approval from their own party.

But that time, historically, has been short for Trump. His positive average approval rating lasted longer this year than it did in 2017, when the public turned on him within a month of being inaugurated.

This Trump honeymoon lasted a little longer — boosted by Trump’s win of the popular vote and higher initial........

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