President-elect Donald J. Trump heads into his Jan. 20 inauguration riding a wave of approval from Americans, according to a national Remington Research Group poll conducted Dec. 11 and Dec. 12 with 1,945 voters.

“America is five weeks removed from one of the most negative presidential campaigns in history,” said Titus Bond, Remington‘s director of research.

“Donald Trump has been able to improve his image in a very short span and if that continues he will govern with a mandate,” he said. “Forty-seven percent of Americans view the president-elect favorably with 41 percent viewing him unfavorably with 12 percent having no opinion.”

The poll carries a 2.3 percent margin of error and was paid for and commissioned independent of any campaign or committee.

Bond said the direct reason for Trump’s approval rating improving is the success of the stock market.

The Dow Jones Industrial Index closed Nov. 7 at 18,259.60, the day before the presidential election and the DJIA closed Dec. 9 at 19,756.85.

“Trump’s rebounding image could be attributed directly to the stock market,” he said. “Fifty-nine percent of Americans believe stock market gains are attributed to the election of Donald Trump, with 30 percent saying Trump is solely responsible for the gains. Just 30 percent of Americans believe the election of Trump had nothing to do with the rise in the stock market.”

The poll showed that people are siding with Trump against the press, he said.

“Half of all Americans believe the media has been unfair in its coverage of Trump with 39 percent saying the media has been fair,” Bond said.

“The mainstream media is viewed negatively by 57 percent of Americans with just 25 percent viewing mainstream media outlets favorably,” he said.

Americans have a mixed opinion of the team the president-elect is putting together for his cabinet, Bond said.

Forty percent of poll participants said they approved of Trump’s selections and 43 percent disapproved, he said.

“Americans are also split when asked if Donald Trump will make America great again,” Bond said. Forty-three percent believe he will and 43 percent do not believe he will, while 46 percent said they think the United States will be more safe under a Trump presidency and 43 percent believe America will be less safe.

Remington Research Group is a polling firm that specializes in automated IVR technology. Remington Research Group accurately predicted the outcome of the 2016 Presidential election and its surveys have been featured in RealClearPolitics, Newsweek, U.S. News & World Report, the Wall Street Journal, 538 and numerous local media throughout the United States.