United States presidential approval rating

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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]

Contents

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 United States 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]
OrderPresidentHighest approvalLowest approvalHigh –
Low		Highest disapprovalLowest disapprovalHighest marginLowest marginFinal pollApproval
average [4] 		Polls
per year
46 [7] Joe Biden 57(2021-02-02, 2021-04-21) [8] 36(2024-07-21)2159(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)N/AN/AN/A
45 [9] Donald Trump 49(2020-01-29, 2020-02-16, 2020-03-22, 2020-04-28, 2020-05-13)34(2021-01-15)1562(2021-01-15)45(2017-01-22, 2020-03-22) [10] 4(2020-03-22)−28 (2021-01-15)34 (2021-01-15)4140
44 [11] Barack Obama 69(2009-01-24)38(2014-09-05)3157(2014-10-10)12(2009-01-23)56(2009-01-23, 2009-01-24)−18(2014-10-10)59(2017-01-19)4848.4
43 [12] George W. Bush 90(2001-09-22)25(2008-10-05, 2008-10-12, 2008-11-02)6571(2008-10-10)6(2001-09-22)84(2001-09-22)−46(2008-10-12)34(2009-01-11)4933.7
42 [13] Bill Clinton 73(1998-12-20)37(1993-06-06)3654(1994-09-07)20(1993-01-26)48(1998-12-20)−14(1994-09-07)66(2001-01-14)5528.5
41 [14] George H. W. Bush 89(1991-02-28)29(1992-08-02)6060(1992-07-31)6(1989-01-26)82(1991-03-03)−30(1992-08-02, 1992-10-13)56(1993-01-11)6139.5
40 [15] Ronald Reagan 68(1986-05-19)35(1983-01-31)3356(1983-01-31)13(1981-02-02)49(1981-04-06)−21(1983-01-31)63(1988-12-29)5337.0
39 [16] Jimmy Carter 75(1977-03-21)28(1979-07-02)4759(1979-07-02)8(1977-02-07, 1977-03-02)66(1977-03-15)−31(1979-07-02)34(1980-12-08)4622.7
38 [17] Gerald Ford 71(1974-08-19)37(1975-03-31)3448(1975-03-31)3(1974-08-19)67(1974-08-13)−11(1975-03-31)53(1976-12-13)4714.7
37 [18] Richard Nixon 67(1969-11-17, 1973-01-29)24(1974-07-15, 1974-07-26, 1974-08-05)4366(1974-08-05)5(1969-01-28)57(1969-03-17)−42(1974-08-05)24(1974-08-05)4917.7
36 [19] Lyndon B. Johnson 79(1964-03-05)35(1968-08-12)4453(1968-08-12)2(1963-12-10)75(1963-12-10)−18(1968-08-12)49(1969-01-06)5515.3
35 [20] John F. Kennedy 82(1961-05-03, 1961-06-06)56(1963-09-17)2630(1963-11-13)5(1961-04-11)77(1961-05-03)27(1963-09-17)58(1963-11-13)7013.7
34 [21] Dwight Eisenhower 79(1956-12-19)48(1958-04-01)3136(1958-04-01)7(1953-02-05)66(1953-04-02, 1956-12-19)12(1958-04-01)59(1960-12-13)6514.4
33 [22] Harry Truman 87(1945-06-05)22(1951-11-16, 1952-02-14)6567(1952-01-06)3(1945-06-05)85(1945-08-22)−43(1952-01-04)32(1952-12-16)458.4
32 [23] Franklin D. Roosevelt 83(1942-01-23)48(1939-08-18)3546(1938-05-22, 1938-05-29, 1938-11-07)73(1942-01-23)65(1943-12-15)638

Approval at the beginning of the presidency

Historical Gallup Poll approval at the beginning of each presidency since 1953 [24]
OrderPresidentInitial approvalInitial disapproval
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. [25] [26] [27] Figures listed for President Joe Biden are current as of August 22, 2024 and will be updated through completion of the first term of his presidency.
OrderPresidentAverage initial approvalAverage initial disapprovalNet initial approvalAverage final approvalAverage final disapprovalNet final approvalInitial to final change
46Biden57.537.5+2039.855.5-15.7-35.7
45Trump4546-141.156.1-15-14
44Obama68.512.5+565937+22-34
43G. W. Bush5725+323461-27-59
42Clinton5820+386629+37-1
41G. H. W. Bush516+455637+19-26
40Reagan5113+386329+32-6
39Carter668+583455-21-79
38Ford713+685332+32-36
37Nixon595+542466-42-96
36Johnson782+764933+16-60
35Kennedy726+665828+30-36
34Eisenhower687+615928+31-30
33Truman873+843256-24-108

Graphs

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Only the results of Gallup polls are included as no other poll results exist for presidents before President Clinton.

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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. 1 2 "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. ↑ "Gallup Daily: Biden Job Approval". Gallup.com. February 5, 2021. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Biden Job Approval a Respectable 57% at 100 Days". Gallup. April 23, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Gallup Daily: Trump Job Approval". Gallup. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  10. ↑ Saad, Lydia (January 23, 2017). Trump Sets New Low Point for Inaugural Approval Rating. Gallup Inc. .
  11. ↑ "Gallup Daily: Obama Job Approval". Gallup.com. January 12, 2017. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Presidential Approval Ratings -- George Bush". Gallup.com. Gallup. January 20, 2008. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  13. ↑ "Presidential Approval Ratings -- Bill Clinton". Gallup. March 11, 2008. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  14. ↑ "Presidential Job Approval for George H. W. Bush". American Presidency Project.
  15. ↑ "Presidential Job Approval for Ronald Reagan". American Presidency Project.
  16. ↑ "Presidential Job Approval for Jimmy Carter". American Presidency Project.
  17. ↑ "Presidential Job Approval for Gerald Ford". American Presidency Project.
  18. ↑ "Presidential Job Approval for Richard Nixon". American Presidency Project.
  19. ↑ "Presidential Job Approval for Lyndon B. Johnson". American Presidency Project.
  20. ↑ "Presidential Job Approval for John F. Kennedy". American Presidency Project.
  21. ↑ Presidential Job Approval for "Dwight D. Eisenhower". American Presidency Project.
  22. ↑ "Presidential Job Approval for Harry S. Truman". American Presidency Project.
  23. ↑ "Presidential Job Approval for Franklin D. Roosevelt". American Presidency Project.
  24. ↑ Gerhard, Peters (February 4, 2021). "Initial Presidential Job Approval Ratings". The American Presidency Project. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  25. ↑ "President Biden Job Approval Ratings and Polls | RealClearPolling". www.realclearpolling.com. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  26. ↑ 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: multiple names: authors list (link)
  27. ↑ "data/polls/old_model at master · fivethirtyeight/data". GitHub. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
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