President Trump's job approval rating has ticked up 6 percentage points since the Democrats' impeachment inquiry began, according to a new survey.

The Gallup poll released early Wednesday found Trump's approval rating at 45 percent, up from 39 percent when the inquiry was launched in the fall. The new findings mark the third-consecutive increase in Trump's approval rating, Gallup noted.

Trump's growing approval is buoyed by Republicans who give him high marks. Almost 9 in 10 GOP respondents - 89 percent - support Trump, compared to just 8 percent of Democrats who approve of the job the president is doing.

Trump has reached 45 percent approval or higher in Gallup's poll five times since taking office, the survey giant noted. He reached 46 percent only once in his presidency: in May on the back of strong economic reports and the culmination of former special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russia's election meddling.

Gallup's new poll found that 51 percent of respondents say they oppose impeachment and removing Trump from office, an increase of 5 percentage points since the Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced the impeachment inquiry into the president's dealings with Ukraine. By contrast, 46 percent of respondents now support impeachment and removal, down 6 points.

Only 5 percent of Republicans who responded to the survey say they back impeachment and removal, compared to 85 percent of Democrats.

Support for impeaching and removing the president has dipped slightly among independents, Gallup found, from 55 percent and 53 percent in two October polls to 48 percent in the latest survey.

The new poll of 1,025 American adults was conducted Dec. 2-15. The survey has a margin of error of 4 percentage points.