US President Joe Biden is facing a summer slump, with Americans taking a notably less positive view of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and his job approval rating ticking down.

A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Centre for Public Affairs Research finds that 54 per cent of Americans approve of Biden’s job performance, down slightly from 59pc last month.

While that’s still a relatively solid rating for a president during his first year in office, particularly given the nation’s deep political polarisation, it’s a worrying sign for Biden as he faces the greatest domestic and foreign policy challenges of his presidency so far.

Last month, 66pc of Americans approved of his stewardship of the public health crisis; now, that number has fallen to 54pc, driven by a drop in support from Republicans and independents.

Read more from AP here.