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 United States mood regarding a president.
George W. Bush registered a 90% job approval rating (the highest in Gallup's tracking) shortly after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.[2] Harry Truman registered a 22% job approval rating (the lowest in Gallup's tracking) in a Feb. 9-14, 1952, Gallup poll.[3]
Historical comparison
[edit]Order | President | Highest approval | Lowest approval | High – Low |
Highest disapproval | Lowest disapproval | Highest margin | Lowest margin | Final poll | Approval average[4] |
Polls per year |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
46[7] | Joe Biden | 57 (2021-02-02, 2021-04-21)[8] | 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) | N/A | N/A | N/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) | 15 | 62 (2021-01-15) | 45 (2017-01-22, 2020-03-22)[10] | 4 (2020-03-22) | −28 (2021-01-15) | 34 (2021-01-15) | 41 | 40 |
44[11] | Barack Obama | 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 | 48.4 |
43[12] | George W. Bush | 90 (2001-09-21) | 25 (2008-10-05, 2008-10-12, 2008-11-02) | 65 | 71 (2008-10-10) | 6 (2001-09-22) | 83 (2001-09-22) | −46 (2008-10-12) | 34 (2009-01-11) | 49 | 33.7 |
42[13] | Bill Clinton | 73 (1998-12-19) | 37 (1993-06-06) | 36 | 54 (1994-09-07) | 20 (1993-01-26) | 48 (2000-12-19) | −14 (1994-09-07) | 66 (2001-01-14) | 55 | 28.5 |
41[14] | George H. W. Bush | 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) | 61 | 39.5 |
40[15] | Ronald Reagan | 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) | 53 | 37.0 |
39[16] | Jimmy Carter | 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) | 46 | 22.7 |
38[17] | Gerald Ford | 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) | 47 | 14.7 |
37[18] | Richard Nixon | 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) | 49 | 17.7 |
36[19] | Lyndon B. Johnson | 79 (1964-03-05) | 35 (1968-08-12) | 44 | 52 (1968-08-12) | 2 (1963-12-10) | 75 (1963-12-10) | −18 (1968-08-12) | 49 (1969-01-06) | 55 | 15.3 |
35[20] | John F. Kennedy | 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) | 70 | 13.7 |
34[21] | Dwight Eisenhower | 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) | 65 | 14.4 |
33[22] | Harry Truman | 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) | 45 | 8.4 |
32[23] | Franklin D. Roosevelt | 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) | 63 | 8 |
Approval at the beginning of the presidency
[edit]Order | President | Initial Approval | Initial 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
[edit]Order | President | Average Initial Approval | Average Initial Disapproval | Net Initial Approval | Average Final Approval | Average Final Disapproval | Net Final Approval | Initial to Final Change |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
46 | Biden | 57.5 | 37.5 | +20 | 40 | 55.9 | -15.9 | -35.9 |
45 | Trump | 45 | 46 | -1 | 41.1 | 56.1 | -15 | -14 |
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 | +32 | -6 |
39 | Carter | 66 | 8 | +58 | 34 | 55 | -21 | -79 |
38 | Ford | 71 | 3 | +68 | 53 | 32 | +32 | -36 |
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
[edit]- Gallup Poll graphs of approval ratings for former presidents of the United States
See also
[edit]- Historical rankings of presidents of the United States
- Opinion polling on the Donald Trump administration
- Opinion polling on the Ronald Reagan administration
Notes
[edit]- ^ Only the results of Gallup polls are included as no other poll results exist for presidents before President Clinton.
References
[edit]- ^ "Presidential Approval Ratings – Donald Trump". Gallup. 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?
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Gallup Daily: Biden Job Approval". 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. 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: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "data/polls/old_model at master · fivethirtyeight/data". GitHub. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
External links
[edit]- "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". PresidentPollsUSA.
- "Historical Presidential Approval Ratings 1945–2009". The Wall Street Journal.
- "President Obama's Ongoing Job Approval". (CongressRatings)