Four in 10 registered voters already support impeaching President Trump, a Democratic pollster said Thursday, highlighting growing suspicions surrounding his ability to lead less than two weeks after taking office.

Forty percent of voters surveyed this week said they favor removing Mr. Trump from office, up from 35 percent who endorsed impeachment when asked a week earlier, according to Public Policy Polling, a Raleigh-based, left-leaning polling firm.

Less than half of those polled this week — 48 percent — said they oppose impeachment, according to the results of the survey.

“Usually a newly elected president is at the peak of their popularity and enjoying their honeymoon period after taking office right now,” PPP President Dean Debnam said in a statement. “But Donald Trump’s making history once again with a sizable share of voters already wanting to impeach him, and a majority of voters wishing they could have Barack Obama back.”

Indeed, 52 percent of voters surveyed this week told pollsters they’d rather have Barack Obama in the White House than the current commander in chief, compared to 43 percent who said they prefer the newly inaugurated president over his predecessor.

The U.S. Constitution allows for Congress to remove from office any civil officer of government convicted of “Treason, Bribery, or other High crimes and Misdemeanors.”

Presidential impeachments are rare, but not unheard of — Presidents Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton were impeached some 130 years apart, though remained in office after being acquitted in the Senate.

The results of Thursday’s polling are based on interviews conducted with 725 registered voters on Jan. 30-31, according to PPP.

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