Not everyone cares about American politics, but those who do can be quite divided when it comes to how favorably they view presidents.
Still, public opinion isn’t typically split 50/50 when it comes to those who serve in America’s top office (although it can get pretty close).
A recent Gallup poll, conducted shortly after President Donald Trump’s inauguration, asked 1,000 Americans about their opinions on the five living presidents — Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Joe Biden and Trump.
Let’s start with the president that the polled Americans ranked most favorably and count down to those with the least favorable rankings.
Barack Obama
Survey respondents who said their overall opinion of this president is:
- Favorable: 59%
- Unfavorable: 36%
- NA (no opinion): 4%
Political party affiliation: Democratic Party
Years in office: 2009-2017
First lady: Michelle Obama
Vice president: Joe Biden
Barack Obama made history as the nation’s first Black president, and his highest point in public favorability (78%) was in 2009, just before his inauguration.
Respondents to a 2016 Pew Research poll pointed to his implementation of the Affordable Care Act of 2010, the federal law also referred to as Obamacare, as one of his most memorable actions in office. And more generally, 35% said he made progress in addressing the country’s “major problems.”
Obama’s lowest point in public favorability (42%) was in 2014, which Gallup notes was when Republicans gained control of the Senate and increased their majority in the House after midterm elections.
About a third of Pew Research respondents said Obama tried but failed at improving the nation’s “major problems,” 9% said he didn’t address these problems at all and 21% said he made them worse.
George W. Bush
Survey respondents who said their overall opinion of this president is:
- Favorable: 52%
- Unfavorable: 34%
- NA (no opinion): 14%
Political party affiliation: Republican Party
Years in office: 2001-2009
First lady: Laura Bush
Vice president: Dick Cheney
George W. Bush’s highest favorable rating (87%) during his presidency was in November 2001, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. His administration quickly ousted Saddam Hussein in 2003, and Americans were largely, at least initially, supportive of his military action post-9/11.
Bush had a “challenging” second term, though, according to Gallup, during which his approval rating dropped to its lowest, at 32%. The Pew Research Center details notable reasons for this drop, including the Iraq War, the handling of Hurricane Katrina and the economic free fall of 2008.
Bill Clinton
Survey respondents who said their overall opinion of this president is:
- Favorable: 48%
- Unfavorable: 41%
- NA (no opinion): 12%
Political party affiliation: Democratic Party
Years in office: 1993-2001
First lady: Hillary Rodham Clinton
Vice president: Al Gore
Bill Clinton’s presidency can be characterized by economic growth and hope. An archived White House page (circa 1998) boasts the Clinton administration’s historic achievements of 116 consecutive months of growth, 22.5 million new jobs, low unemployment and low inflation.
A 2001 Pew Research poll shows that many Americans (up to 72% in 1999) felt their finances would improve.
An infamous scandal for Clinton was his affair with Monica Lewinsky. According to a count from Time Magazine, the evening newscasts of CBS, NBC and ABC dedicated 2,345 minutes to covering the scandal between Jan. 22, 1998, and Feb. 12, 1999.
In 1998, the House of Representatives voted to impeach Clinton on charges of perjury (for lying about his affair with Lewinsky) and obstruction of justice, but the Senate acquitted Clinton of the charges in 1999.
Donald Trump
Survey respondents who said their overall opinion of this president is:
- Favorable: 48%
- Unfavorable: 50%
- NA (no opinion): 2%
Political party affiliation: Republican Party
Years in office: 2017-2021, 2025-present
First lady: Melania Trump
Vice president: Mike Pence (first term) and J.D. Vance (second term)
A win under Donald Trump’s first term as president was the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), which lowered federal income taxes for businesses and individuals.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce reports that 81% of Republicans, 55% of Independents and 53% of Democrats approved of the TCJA. It’s set to expire at the end of this year, but the majority of voters (64%) favor a permanent extension, highlighting the act’s success in the eyes of the American people.
On the flip side, Trump was impeached twice, but the Senate acquitted him both times.
Joe Biden
Survey respondents who said their overall opinion of this president is:
- Favorable: 39%
- Unfavorable: 57%
- NA (no opinion): 4%
Political party affiliation: Democratic Party
Years in office: 2021-2025
First lady: Jill Biden
Vice president: Kamala Harris
Joe Biden’s favorability peaked in January 2017 (61%), near the end of his vice presidency.
Although it wasn’t without controversy, his American Rescue Plan Act for pandemic relief had a 63% approval rating amongst Americans. Biden’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was another high point of his administration and had bipartisan support.
Most Americans agreed with Biden’s decision to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan. However, 48% of Americans said he handled the withdrawal poorly, and 26% said he’d done an “only fair” job.
Public opinion of Biden’s economic policy was also low, with 38% citing low confidence in his ability to handle the economy — the lowest since George W. Bush in 2008. During his reelection campaign, Biden’s age became a major issue for voters as well.
Editor’s Note: This article has been corrected to reflect the years during which George W. Bush was in office.
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