President-elect Donald Trump Donald John TrumpHR McMaster says president's policy to withdraw troops from Afghanistan is 'unwise' Cast of 'Parks and Rec' reunite for virtual town hall to address Wisconsin voters Biden says Trump should step down over coronavirus response MORE will enter the White House with the lowest approval rating ever for an incoming president, according to a new poll.

An NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll found that more than half, or 52 percent, of Americans say they disapprove of how Trump has handled his transition process, compared with just 44 percent who approve.

Those marks have gotten worse for the president-elect since last month.

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The same poll in December found 41 percent of Americans disapproved of how he was handling the transition and preparations for becoming president, while 50 percent approved.

The poll also found that nearly half, or 48 percent, of Americans have a negative view of Trump, making him the most unpopular incoming president ever recorded by the NBC/WSJ poll.

Just 38 percent of Americans have a positive view of him.

By comparison, President Obama had a 71 percent approval rating before his own inauguration in January 2009, and Bill Clinton William (Bill) Jefferson ClintonD-Day for Trump: September 29 Trump job approval locked at 42 percent: Gallup If Trump doesn't know why he should be president again, how can voters? MORE had a 77 percent approval rating before entered the White House in 1993.

But participants in the poll also showed some optimism.

The poll found 53 percent of Americans thought the country was better off than it was eight years ago, compared with 42 percent who thought it was worse off.

The NBC/WSJ poll of 1,000 adults, conducted January 12–15, has a 3.1-point margin of error.