United States presidential approval rating
In the United States, presidential job approval ratings were first conducted by George Gallup (estimated to be 1937) to gauge public support for the president of the United States during their term. An approval rating is a percentage determined by polling which indicates the percentage of respondents to an opinion poll who approve of a particular person or program. Typically, an approval rating is given to a politician based on responses to a poll in which a sample of people are asked whether they approve or disapprove of that particular political figure. A question might ask: "Do you approve or disapprove of the way that the current president is handling their job as president?"[1]
Like most surveys that measure opinions, individual poll results may be inaccurate. Many unscientific approval rating systems exist that show inaccurate statistics. Examples that self select, such as online questions, are of this type; however, the aggregate approval rating is generally accepted by statisticians as a statistically valid indicator of the comparative changes in the popular U.S. mood regarding a president. George W. Bush registered a 90% job approval rating (the highest in Gallup's tracking) shortly after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.[2] Harry S. Truman registered a 22% job approval rating (the lowest in Gallup's tracking) in a survey conducted February 9–14, 1952.[3]
On February 11, 2026, Gallup announced that they would cease their polling of presidential approval ratings, as well as those of other public figures.[4]
Historical comparison
| # | President | Years in office | Approval[5] | Disapproval | Margin | Final poll | Polls per year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg | Highest | Lowest | Diff | Highest | Lowest | Highest | Lowest | |||||
| 47[8] | Donald Trump | 2025– | TBD | 47 (2025-01-27) |
36 (2025-11-28, 2025-12-15) |
11 | 60 (2025-11-28) |
48 (2025-01-27) |
−1 (2025-01-27) |
−24 (2025-11-28) |
TBD | |
| 46[9] | Joe Biden | 2021–2025 | 42 | 57 (2021-02-02, 2021-04-21) [10] |
36 (2024-07-21) |
21 | 59 (2022-07-26, 2023-04-25, 2023-10-23, 2023-11-21, 2023-12-20, 2024-02-20) |
37 (2021-02-02) |
20 (2021-02-02) |
−22 (2023-04-25, 2023-10-23, 2023-11-21, 2024-07-21) |
40 (2025-01-15) |
12 |
| 45[11] | Donald Trump | 2017–2021 | 41 | 49 (2020-01-29, 2020-02-16, 2020-03-22, 2020-04-28, 2020-05-13) |
34 (2021-01-15) |
15 | 62 (2021-01-15) |
45 (2017-01-22, 2020-03-22) [12] |
4 (2020-03-22) |
−28 (2021-01-15) |
34 (2021-01-15) |
40 |
| 44[13] | Barack Obama | 2009–2017 | 48 | 69 (2009-01-24) |
38 (2014-09-05) |
31 | 57 (2014-10-10) |
12 (2009-01-23) |
56 (2009-01-23, 2009-01-24) |
−18 (2014-10-10) |
59 (2017-01-19) |
48.4 |
| 43[14] | George W. Bush | 2001–2009 | 49 | 90 (2001-09-22) |
25 (2008-10-05, 2008-10-12, 2008-11-02) |
65 | 71 (2008-10-10) |
6 (2001-09-22) |
84 (2001-09-22) |
−46 (2008-10-12) |
34 (2009-01-11) |
33.7 |
| 42[15] | Bill Clinton | 1993–2001 | 55 | 73 (1998-12-20) |
37 (1993-06-06) |
36 | 54 (1994-09-07) |
20 (1993-01-26) |
48 (1998-12-20) |
−14 (1994-09-07) |
66 (2001-01-14) |
28.5 |
| 41[16] | George H. W. Bush | 1989–1993 | 61 | 89 (1991-02-28) |
29 (1992-08-02) |
60 | 60 (1992-07-31) |
6 (1989-01-26) |
82 (1991-03-03) |
−30 (1992-08-02, 1992-10-13) |
56 (1993-01-11) |
39.5 |
| 40[17] | Ronald Reagan | 1981–1989 | 53 | 68 (1986-05-19) |
35 (1983-01-31) |
33 | 56 (1983-01-31) |
13 (1981-02-02) |
49 (1981-04-06) |
−21 (1983-01-31) |
63 (1988-12-29) |
37.0 |
| 39[18] | Jimmy Carter | 1977–1981 | 46 | 75 (1977-03-21) |
28 (1979-07-02) |
47 | 59 (1979-07-02) |
8 (1977-02-07, 1977-03-02) |
66 (1977-03-15) |
−31 (1979-07-02) |
34 (1980-12-08) |
22.7 |
| 38[19] | Gerald Ford | 1974–1977 | 47 | 71 (1974-08-19) |
37 (1975-03-31) |
34 | 48 (1975-03-31) |
3 (1974-08-19) |
67 (1974-08-13) |
−11 (1975-03-31) |
53 (1976-12-13) |
14.7 |
| 37[20] | Richard Nixon | 1969–1974 | 49 | 67 (1969-11-17, 1973-01-29) |
24 (1974-07-15, 1974-07-26, 1974-08-05) |
43 | 66 (1974-08-05) |
5 (1969-01-28) |
57 (1969-03-17) |
−42 (1974-08-05) |
24 (1974-08-05) |
17.7 |
| 36[21] | Lyndon B. Johnson | 1963–1969 | 55 | 79 (1964-03-05) |
35 (1968-08-12) |
44 | 53 (1968-08-12) |
2 (1963-12-10) |
75 (1963-12-10) |
−18 (1968-08-12) |
49 (1969-01-06) |
15.3 |
| 35[22] | John F. Kennedy | 1961–1963 | 70 | 82 (1961-05-03, 1961-06-06) |
56 (1963-09-17) |
26 | 30 (1963-11-13) |
5 (1961-04-11) |
77 (1961-05-03) |
27 (1963-09-17) |
58 (1963-11-13) |
13.7 |
| 34[23] | Dwight D. Eisenhower | 1953–1961 | 65 | 79 (1956-12-19) |
48 (1958-04-01) |
31 | 36 (1958-04-01) |
7 (1953-02-05) |
66 (1953-04-02, 1956-12-19) |
12 (1958-04-01) |
59 (1960-12-13) |
14.4 |
| 33[24] | Harry Truman | 1945–1953 | 45 | 87 (1945-06-05) |
22 (1951-11-16, 1952-02-14) |
65 | 67 (1952-01-06) |
3 (1945-06-05) |
85 (1945-08-22) |
−43 (1952-01-04) |
32 (1952-12-16) |
8.4 |
| 32[25] | Franklin D. Roosevelt | 1933–1945 | 63 | 83 (1942-01-23) |
48 (1939-08-18) |
35 | 46 (1938-05-22, 1938-05-29, 1938-11-07) |
73 (1942-01-23) |
65 (1943-12-15) |
8 | ||
Approval at the beginning of the presidency
| Presidency | President | Initial approval | Initial disapproval |
|---|---|---|---|
| 47 | Trump | 47 (2025-01-29) | 48 (2025-01-29) |
| 46 | Biden | 57 (2021-02-02) | 37 (2021-02-02) |
| 45 | Trump | 45 (2017-01-22) | 45 (2017-01-22) |
| 44 | Obama | 68 (2009-01-23) | 12 (2009-01-23) |
| 43 | G. W. Bush | 57 (2001-02-05) | 25 (2001-02-05) |
| 42 | Clinton | 58 (1993-01-24) | 20 (1993-01-24) |
| 41 | G. H. W. Bush | 51 (1989-01-26) | 6 (1989-01-26) |
| 40 | Reagan | 51 (1981-02-02) | 13 (1981-02-02) |
| 39 | Carter | 66 (1977-01-07) | 8 (1977-01-07) |
| 38 | Ford | 71 (1974-08-19) | 3 (1974-08-19) |
| 37 | Nixon | 59 (1969-01-28) | 5 (1969-01-28) |
| 36 | Johnson | 78 (1963-12-10) | 2 (1963-12-10) |
| 35 | Kennedy | 72 (1961-02-15) | 6 (1961-02-15) |
| 34 | Eisenhower | 68 (1953-02-05) | 7 (1953-02-05) |
| 33 | Truman | 87 (1945-06-05) | 3 (1945-06-05) |
Historical net approval of each presidency
| Presidency | President | Average initial approval | Average initial disapproval | Net initial approval | Average final approval | Average final disapproval | Net final approval | Initial to final change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 47[b] | Trump | 47 | 41 | +6 | — | — | — | — |
| 46 | Biden | 57.5 | 37.5 | +20 | 37.9 | 56.9 | -19 | -39 |
| 45 | Trump | 45 | 45 | 0 | 41.1 | 56.1 | -15 | -15 |
| 44 | Obama | 68.5 | 12.5 | +56 | 59 | 37 | +22 | -34 |
| 43 | G. W. Bush | 57 | 25 | +32 | 34 | 61 | -27 | -59 |
| 42 | Clinton | 58 | 20 | +38 | 66 | 29 | +37 | -1 |
| 41 | G. H. W. Bush | 51 | 6 | +45 | 56 | 37 | +19 | -26 |
| 40 | Reagan | 51 | 13 | +38 | 63 | 29 | +34 | -4 |
| 39 | Carter | 66 | 8 | +58 | 34 | 55 | -21 | -79 |
| 38 | Ford | 71 | 3 | +68 | 53 | 32 | +21 | -47 |
| 37 | Nixon | 59 | 5 | +54 | 24 | 66 | -42 | -96 |
| 36 | Johnson | 78 | 2 | +76 | 49 | 33 | +16 | -60 |
| 35 | Kennedy | 72 | 6 | +66 | 58 | 28 | +30 | -36 |
| 34 | Eisenhower | 68 | 7 | +61 | 59 | 28 | +31 | -30 |
| 33 | Truman | 87 | 3 | +84 | 32 | 56 | -24 | -108 |
Graphs
- Gallup Poll graphs of approval ratings for former presidents of the United States
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Donald Trump (first presidency)
-
Joe Biden (2021)
See also
- Historical rankings of presidents of the United States
- List of heads of the executive by approval rating
- Opinion polling on the first Trump presidency
- Opinion polling on the second Trump presidency
- Opinion polling on the Biden administration
- Opinion polling on the Reagan administration
Notes
- ^ Only the results of Gallup polls are included as no other poll results exist for presidents before President Clinton.
- ^ Trump's second term polling numbers will reflect only the unweighted mean of polling averages reported by Real Clear Politics given the closure of FiveThirtyEight due to employee cuts at ABC News Group by parent company Disney.[30]
References
- ^ "Presidential Approval Ratings: Donald Trump". Gallup.com. Gallup, Inc. November 16, 2016. Retrieved February 13, 2017.
- ^ Jones, J. (2022). Who had the highest Gallup presidential job approval rating? Gallup. Retrieved from Who Had the Highest Gallup Presidential Job Approval Rating?
- ^ Jones, J. (2022). Who had the lowest Gallup presidential job approval rating? Gallup. Retrieved from Who Had the Lowest Gallup Presidential Job Approval Rating?
- ^ Mastrangelo, Dominick (February 11, 2026). "Gallup will no longer measure presidential approval after 88 years". THE HILL. NEXSTAR MEDIA INC. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
- ^ a b "Presidential Approval Ratings – Gallup Historical Statistics and Trends". Gallup. March 12, 2008. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
- ^ Lydia Saad (March 29, 2017). "Trump's Approval Rating Unusually Low, Unusually Early". Gallup. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
- ^ The American Presidency Project at UC Santa Barbara.
- ^ "Presidential Approval Ratings -- Donald Trump". Gallup.com. January 27, 2025. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
- ^ "Presidential Approval Ratings -- Joe Biden". Gallup.com. February 5, 2021. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
- ^ "Biden Job Approval a Respectable 57% at 100 Days". Gallup. April 23, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
- ^ "Gallup Daily: Trump Job Approval". Gallup. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
- ^ Saad, Lydia (January 23, 2017). Trump Sets New Low Point for Inaugural Approval Rating. Gallup Inc..
- ^ "Gallup Daily: Obama Job Approval". Gallup.com. January 12, 2017. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
- ^ "Presidential Approval Ratings -- George Bush". Gallup.com. Gallup. January 20, 2008. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
- ^ "Presidential Approval Ratings -- Bill Clinton". Gallup. March 11, 2008. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
- ^ "Presidential Job Approval for George H. W. Bush". American Presidency Project.
- ^ "Presidential Job Approval for Ronald Reagan". American Presidency Project.
- ^ "Presidential Job Approval for Jimmy Carter". American Presidency Project.
- ^ "Presidential Job Approval for Gerald Ford". American Presidency Project.
- ^ "Presidential Job Approval for Richard Nixon". American Presidency Project.
- ^ "Presidential Job Approval for Lyndon B. Johnson". American Presidency Project.
- ^ "Presidential Job Approval for John F. Kennedy". American Presidency Project.
- ^ Presidential Job Approval for "Dwight D. Eisenhower". American Presidency Project.
- ^ "Presidential Job Approval for Harry S. Truman". American Presidency Project.
- ^ "Presidential Job Approval for Franklin D. Roosevelt". American Presidency Project.
- ^ Gerhard, Peters (February 4, 2021). "Initial Presidential Job Approval Ratings". The American Presidency Project. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
- ^ "President Biden Job Approval Ratings and Polls | RealClearPolling". www.realclearpolling.com. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
- ^ Wiederkehr, Ryan Best, Aaron Bycoffe, Ritchie King, Dhrumil Mehta and Anna (June 28, 2018). "Latest Polls". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "data/polls/old_model at master · fivethirtyeight/data". GitHub. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
- ^ Dunbar, Marina (March 5, 2025). "Political poll news site 538 to close amid larger shuttering across ABC and Disney". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
External links
- "Historical Presidential Job Performance Ratings". Roper Center.
- "Trump approval ratings" Deprecated link archived August 12, 2017, at archive.today. FiveThirtyEight.
- "Midterm Presidential Approval Ratings" Archived May 19, 2020, at the Wayback Machine. Data360.
- "President Job Approval Ratings". PresidentPollsUSA.
- "Historical Presidential Approval Ratings 1945–2009". The Wall Street Journal.
- "President Obama's Ongoing Job Approval" Archived October 27, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. (CongressRatings)