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]

Historical comparison

Historical Gallup Poll approval highs and lows for each president since 1937 ^{[4] [5] [6] [a]}

#	President	Years in office	Approval [4]				Disapproval		Margin		Final poll	Polls per year
			Avg	Highest	Lowest	Diff	Highest	Lowest	Highest	Lowest
47 [7]	Donald Trump	2025–	TBD	47 (2025-01-27)	37 (2025-07-21)	10	58 (2025-07-21)	48 (2025-01-27)	−1 (2025-01-27)	−21 (2025-07-21)	TBD
46 [8]	Joe Biden	2021–2025	42	57 (2021-02-02, 2021-04-21) [9]	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 [10]	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) [11]	4 (2020-03-22)	−28 (2021-01-15)	34 (2021-01-15)	40
44 [12]	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 [13]	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 [14]	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 [15]	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 [16]	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 [17]	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 [18]	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 [19]	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 [20]	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 [21]	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 [22]	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 [23]	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 [24]	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

Historical Gallup Poll approval at the beginning of each presidency since 1953 ^[25]

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

Historical average polling approval of each presidency since 1953. Polling figures are the unweighted mean of both polling averages reported by Real Clear Politics and FiveThirtyEight. ^{[26] [27] [28]}

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
• 
  Franklin D. Roosevelt
• 
  Harry S. Truman
• 
  Dwight D. Eisenhower
• 
  John F. Kennedy
• 
  Lyndon B. Johnson
• 
  Richard Nixon
• 
  Gerald Ford
• 
  Jimmy Carter
• 
  Ronald Reagan
• 
  George H. W. Bush
• 
  Bill Clinton
• 
  George W. Bush
• 
  Barack Obama
• 
  Donald Trump (first presidency)
• 
  Joe Biden (2021)

See also

• Historical rankings of presidents of the United States
• Opinion polling on the first Trump presidency
• Opinion polling on the second Trump presidency
• Opinion polling on the Biden administration
• Opinion polling on the Ronald Reagan administration

Notes

1. Only the results of Gallup polls are included as no other poll results exist for presidents before President Clinton.
2. 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. ^[29]

References

1. "Presidential Approval Ratings: Donald Trump". Gallup.com. Gallup, Inc. November 16, 2016. Retrieved February 13, 2017.
2. Jones, J. (2022). Who had the highest Gallup presidential job approval rating? Gallup. Retrieved from Who Had the Highest Gallup Presidential Job Approval Rating?
3. Jones, J. (2022). Who had the lowest Gallup presidential job approval rating? Gallup. Retrieved from Who Had the Lowest Gallup Presidential Job Approval Rating?
4. "Presidential Approval Ratings – Gallup Historical Statistics and Trends". Gallup. March 12, 2008. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
5. Lydia Saad (March 29, 2017). "Trump's Approval Rating Unusually Low, Unusually Early". Gallup. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
6. The American Presidency Project at UC Santa Barbara.
7. "Presidential Approval Ratings -- Donald Trump". Gallup.com. January 27, 2025. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
8. "Presidential Approval Ratings -- Joe Biden". Gallup.com. February 5, 2021. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
9. "Biden Job Approval a Respectable 57% at 100 Days". Gallup. April 23, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
10. "Gallup Daily: Trump Job Approval". Gallup. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
11. Saad, Lydia (January 23, 2017). Trump Sets New Low Point for Inaugural Approval Rating. Gallup Inc. .
12. "Gallup Daily: Obama Job Approval". Gallup.com. January 12, 2017. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
13. "Presidential Approval Ratings -- George Bush". Gallup.com. Gallup. January 20, 2008. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
14. "Presidential Approval Ratings -- Bill Clinton". Gallup. March 11, 2008. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
15. "Presidential Job Approval for George H. W. Bush". American Presidency Project.
16. "Presidential Job Approval for Ronald Reagan". American Presidency Project.
17. "Presidential Job Approval for Jimmy Carter". American Presidency Project.
18. "Presidential Job Approval for Gerald Ford". American Presidency Project.
19. "Presidential Job Approval for Richard Nixon". American Presidency Project.
20. "Presidential Job Approval for Lyndon B. Johnson". American Presidency Project.
21. "Presidential Job Approval for John F. Kennedy". American Presidency Project.
22. Presidential Job Approval for "Dwight D. Eisenhower". American Presidency Project.
23. "Presidential Job Approval for Harry S. Truman". American Presidency Project.
24. "Presidential Job Approval for Franklin D. Roosevelt". American Presidency Project.
25. Gerhard, Peters (February 4, 2021). "Initial Presidential Job Approval Ratings". The American Presidency Project. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
26. "President Biden Job Approval Ratings and Polls | RealClearPolling". www.realclearpolling.com. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
27. Wiederkehr, Ryan Best, Aaron Bycoffe, Ritchie King, Dhrumil Mehta and Anna (June 28, 2018). "Latest Polls". FiveThirtyEight. Archived from the original on April 11, 2019. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
28. "data/polls/old_model at master · fivethirtyeight/data". GitHub. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
29. 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" 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" ^{[ usurped ]}. PresidentPollsUSA.
• "Historical Presidential Approval Ratings 1945–2009". The Wall Street Journal.
• "President Obama's Ongoing Job Approval". (CongressRatings)