Poll: 51% of Republicans trust Trump on coronavirus more than the CDC

Americans' political affiliations could determine which source they trust for information about the coronavirus, with 51% of Republicans saying they trust President Trump over CDC scientists, according to a Quinnipiac poll out Tuesday.

Why it matters: It's another indication of how partisan politics have consumed the national conversation about the virus, and how Trump's attacks on his own health officials have affected public opinion.

• An Axios-Ipsos coronavirus poll out in June showed a political divide on mask-wearing habits based on party affiliation.
• Trump and top government scientists have at times given conflicting messages about the virus, with Trump claiming earlier this month that his CDC director was "incorrect" and "confused" about the timeline for widespread vaccine distribution.

By the numbers: 70% of all likely voters who responded to the poll said they trust CDC scientists more than Trump, while 21% chose the president.

• 51% of Republican respondents preferred Trump, while 36% chose CDC scientists.
• 97% of Democratic respondents chose the CDC, while 1% said they prefer Trump.

The big picture: 42% of all voters approved of Trump's response to the coronavirus, while 56% said they disapprove. 87% of Republicans approved, while 96% of Democrats disapproved.

Go deeper: The CDC's crumbling reputation

Methodology: The Quinnipiac poll surveyed 1,302 likely voters nationwide from September 17 - 21. It has a margin of error of +/- 2.7 percentage points.