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© Getty Images
0 / 31 Fotos
15. John F. Kennedy (1917-1963)
- Dates in office: January 20, 1961 to November 22, 1963 After a solid start to his second year in office, Kennedy's approval rating stayed steady throughout the rest of his presidency.
© Getty Images
1 / 31 Fotos
John F. Kennedy (1917-1963)
- Lowest approval rating: 56% (1963) Highest approval rating: 82% (1961) However, the federal government's intervention in civil rights confrontations led to regional divides, which increased JFK's disapproval rating.
© Getty Images
2 / 31 Fotos
14. Dwight Eisenhower (1890-1969)
- Dates in office: January 20, 1953 to January 20, 1961 The 34th president maintained positive approval ratings throughout his tenure.
© Getty Images
3 / 31 Fotos
Dwight Eisenhower (1890-1969)
- Lowest approval rating: 48% (1958) Highest approval rating: 79% (1956) However, the launch of Sputnik 1 and a poor economy contributed to a decrease in his approval ratings and loss in the 1968 elections.
© Getty Images
4 / 31 Fotos
13. Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945)
- Dates in office: March 4, 1933 to April 12, 1945 FDR was the first president to have his popularity checked in polls.
© Getty Images
5 / 31 Fotos
Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945)
- Lowest approval rating: 48% (1939) Highest approval rating: 83% (1942) The key to his popularity was foreign policy, not the economy, which contributed to his lowest approval rate in 1939. However, during WWII, FDR introduced measures to prepare the nation for war, which gained support from the American public.
© Getty Images
6 / 31 Fotos
12. Barack Obama
- Dates in office: January 20, 2009 to January 20, 2017 Despite his overwhelming success in the 2008 and 2012 elections, Obama hasn't always been the most popular president at the poll.
© Getty Images
7 / 31 Fotos
Barack Obama
- Lowest approval rating: 38% (2014) Highest approval rating: 69% (2009) In fact, he reached his lowest point with 38%, which came when he announced more relaxed laws involving illegal immigrants.
© Getty Images
8 / 31 Fotos
11. Joe Biden
- Dates in office: January 20, 2021- President Biden's approval rating hit an all-time low in 2023, driven by concerns about high prices, security at the US-Mexico border, and the Israel-Hamas conflict.
© Getty Images
9 / 31 Fotos
Joe Biden
- Lowest approval rating: 37% (2023) Highest approval rating: 57% (2021) Biden's age, 81, is also a concern for many American voters.
© Getty Images
10 / 31 Fotos
10. Bill Clinton
- Dates in office: January 20, 1993 to January 20, 2001 During Clinton's 1992 presidential election campaign, Gennifer Flowers came forward to say that she had had a 12-year extramarital relationship with Clinton. This lowered his approval rating tremendously.
© Getty Images
11 / 31 Fotos
Bill Clinton
- Lowest approval rating: 37% (1993) Highest approval rating: 73% (1998) This lowered his approval rating tremendously, but he still won the election.
© Getty Images
12 / 31 Fotos
9. Gerald Ford (1913-2006)
- Dates in office: August 9, 1974 – January 20, 1977 Having endured the Watergate scandal and President Richard Nixon's resignation, Americans welcomed Ford with a high approval rating.
© Getty Images
13 / 31 Fotos
Gerald Ford (1913-2006)
- Lowest approval rating: 37% (1975) Highest approval rating: 71% (1974) However, his approval rating fell when he pardoned Nixon shortly after he took office and never really recovered.
© Getty Images
14 / 31 Fotos
8. Ronald Reagan (1911-2004)
- Dates in office: January 20, 1981 to January 20, 1989 Reagan's approval rating plummeted when the US experienced a recession and high unemployment in 1982.
© Getty Images
15 / 31 Fotos
Ronald Reagan (1911-2004)
- Lowest approval rating: 35% (1983) Highest approval rating: 68% (1986) However, by the time of his second term in office, Reagan's ratings had recovered.
© Getty Images
16 / 31 Fotos
7. Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973)
- Dates in office: November 22, 1963 to January 20, 1969 While Johnson began his presidency with widespread approval, his public support declined as the war in Vietnam dragged on and domestic unrest increased.
© Getty Images
17 / 31 Fotos
Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973)
- Lowest approval rating: 35% (1968) Highest approval rating: 79% (1964) Johnson chose not to run for re-election in 1968, largely due to the disastrous war and internal conflicts tearing apart the Democratic Party.
© Getty Images
18 / 31 Fotos
6. Donald Trump
- Dates in office: January 20, 2017 to January 20, 2021 As Trump was leaving the White House in 2021, only 34% of Americans approved of the job he was doing as president.
© Getty Images
19 / 31 Fotos
Donald Trump
- Lowest approval rating: 34% (2021) Highest approval rating: 49% (2020) However, since leaving office, Trump has continued to dominate the Republican Party and is the presumptive Republican nominee for the 2024 presidential election.
© Getty Images
20 / 31 Fotos
5. George H. W. Bush (1924-2018)
- Dates in office: January 20, 1989 to January 20, 1993 With the end of the Persian Gulf War in March 1991, Bush had very high approval ratings.
© Getty Images
21 / 31 Fotos
George H. W. Bush (1924-2018)
- Lowest approval rating: 29% (1992) Highest approval rating: 89% (1991) But by 1992, many Republicans' support of Bush had diminished for a variety of reasons, including raising taxes and cutting defense spending.
© Getty Images
22 / 31 Fotos
4. Jimmy Carter
- Dates in office: January 20, 1977 to January 20, 1981 Carter's final year as president was marred by the Iran hostage crisis, which dominated the news at the time.
© Getty Images
23 / 31 Fotos
Jimmy Carter
- Lowest approval rating: 28% (1979) Highest approval rating: 75% (1977) The consequences of Iran's holding Americans captive, together with continuing inflation in the US, contributed to Carter's defeat and unpopularity in 1980.
© Getty Images
24 / 31 Fotos
3. George W. Bush
- Dates in office: January 20, 2001 to January 20, 2009 In the time of national crisis following the September 11 attacks, polls showed high approval ratings for Bush.
© Getty Images
25 / 31 Fotos
George W. Bush
- Lowest approval rating: 25% (2008) Highest approval rating: 90% (2001) However, his decline became historically low due to growing concern over the US-led occupation of Iraq and a slow recovery from the 2001 recession.
© Getty Images
26 / 31 Fotos
2. Richard Nixon (1913-1994)
- Dates in office: January 20, 1969 to August 9, 1974 Although Nixon started his presidency with strong approval ratings, the Watergate scandal quickly turned things around.
© Getty Images
27 / 31 Fotos
Richard Nixon (1913-1994)
- Lowest approval rating: 24% (1974) Highest approval rating: 67% (1969) Nixon's approval ratings never recovered from that point, and he left office with dismal presidential approval ratings.
© Getty Images
28 / 31 Fotos
1. Harry S. Truman (1884-1972)
- Dates in office: April 12, 1945 to January 20, 1953 The approval rating of the 33rd president decreased significantly in his second term.
© Getty Images
29 / 31 Fotos
Harry S. Truman (1884-1972)
- Lowest approval rating: 22% (1951) Highest approval rating: 87% (1945) This was largely due to economic slowdown, a prolonged military engagement in the Korean War, labor strife, and federal government corruption. Sources: (Gallup) (Reuters) (Pew Research) (Vox)
© Getty Images
30 / 31 Fotos
© Getty Images
0 / 31 Fotos
15. John F. Kennedy (1917-1963)
- Dates in office: January 20, 1961 to November 22, 1963 After a solid start to his second year in office, Kennedy's approval rating stayed steady throughout the rest of his presidency.
© Getty Images
1 / 31 Fotos
John F. Kennedy (1917-1963)
- Lowest approval rating: 56% (1963) Highest approval rating: 82% (1961) However, the federal government's intervention in civil rights confrontations led to regional divides, which increased JFK's disapproval rating.
© Getty Images
2 / 31 Fotos
14. Dwight Eisenhower (1890-1969)
- Dates in office: January 20, 1953 to January 20, 1961 The 34th president maintained positive approval ratings throughout his tenure.
© Getty Images
3 / 31 Fotos
Dwight Eisenhower (1890-1969)
- Lowest approval rating: 48% (1958) Highest approval rating: 79% (1956) However, the launch of Sputnik 1 and a poor economy contributed to a decrease in his approval ratings and loss in the 1968 elections.
© Getty Images
4 / 31 Fotos
13. Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945)
- Dates in office: March 4, 1933 to April 12, 1945 FDR was the first president to have his popularity checked in polls.
© Getty Images
5 / 31 Fotos
Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945)
- Lowest approval rating: 48% (1939) Highest approval rating: 83% (1942) The key to his popularity was foreign policy, not the economy, which contributed to his lowest approval rate in 1939. However, during WWII, FDR introduced measures to prepare the nation for war, which gained support from the American public.
© Getty Images
6 / 31 Fotos
12. Barack Obama
- Dates in office: January 20, 2009 to January 20, 2017 Despite his overwhelming success in the 2008 and 2012 elections, Obama hasn't always been the most popular president at the poll.
© Getty Images
7 / 31 Fotos
Barack Obama
- Lowest approval rating: 38% (2014) Highest approval rating: 69% (2009) In fact, he reached his lowest point with 38%, which came when he announced more relaxed laws involving illegal immigrants.
© Getty Images
8 / 31 Fotos
11. Joe Biden
- Dates in office: January 20, 2021- President Biden's approval rating hit an all-time low in 2023, driven by concerns about high prices, security at the US-Mexico border, and the Israel-Hamas conflict.
© Getty Images
9 / 31 Fotos
Joe Biden
- Lowest approval rating: 37% (2023) Highest approval rating: 57% (2021) Biden's age, 81, is also a concern for many American voters.
© Getty Images
10 / 31 Fotos
10. Bill Clinton
- Dates in office: January 20, 1993 to January 20, 2001 During Clinton's 1992 presidential election campaign, Gennifer Flowers came forward to say that she had had a 12-year extramarital relationship with Clinton. This lowered his approval rating tremendously.
© Getty Images
11 / 31 Fotos
Bill Clinton
- Lowest approval rating: 37% (1993) Highest approval rating: 73% (1998) This lowered his approval rating tremendously, but he still won the election.
© Getty Images
12 / 31 Fotos
9. Gerald Ford (1913-2006)
- Dates in office: August 9, 1974 – January 20, 1977 Having endured the Watergate scandal and President Richard Nixon's resignation, Americans welcomed Ford with a high approval rating.
© Getty Images
13 / 31 Fotos
Gerald Ford (1913-2006)
- Lowest approval rating: 37% (1975) Highest approval rating: 71% (1974) However, his approval rating fell when he pardoned Nixon shortly after he took office and never really recovered.
© Getty Images
14 / 31 Fotos
8. Ronald Reagan (1911-2004)
- Dates in office: January 20, 1981 to January 20, 1989 Reagan's approval rating plummeted when the US experienced a recession and high unemployment in 1982.
© Getty Images
15 / 31 Fotos
Ronald Reagan (1911-2004)
- Lowest approval rating: 35% (1983) Highest approval rating: 68% (1986) However, by the time of his second term in office, Reagan's ratings had recovered.
© Getty Images
16 / 31 Fotos
7. Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973)
- Dates in office: November 22, 1963 to January 20, 1969 While Johnson began his presidency with widespread approval, his public support declined as the war in Vietnam dragged on and domestic unrest increased.
© Getty Images
17 / 31 Fotos
Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973)
- Lowest approval rating: 35% (1968) Highest approval rating: 79% (1964) Johnson chose not to run for re-election in 1968, largely due to the disastrous war and internal conflicts tearing apart the Democratic Party.
© Getty Images
18 / 31 Fotos
6. Donald Trump
- Dates in office: January 20, 2017 to January 20, 2021 As Trump was leaving the White House in 2021, only 34% of Americans approved of the job he was doing as president.
© Getty Images
19 / 31 Fotos
Donald Trump
- Lowest approval rating: 34% (2021) Highest approval rating: 49% (2020) However, since leaving office, Trump has continued to dominate the Republican Party and is the presumptive Republican nominee for the 2024 presidential election.
© Getty Images
20 / 31 Fotos
5. George H. W. Bush (1924-2018)
- Dates in office: January 20, 1989 to January 20, 1993 With the end of the Persian Gulf War in March 1991, Bush had very high approval ratings.
© Getty Images
21 / 31 Fotos
George H. W. Bush (1924-2018)
- Lowest approval rating: 29% (1992) Highest approval rating: 89% (1991) But by 1992, many Republicans' support of Bush had diminished for a variety of reasons, including raising taxes and cutting defense spending.
© Getty Images
22 / 31 Fotos
4. Jimmy Carter
- Dates in office: January 20, 1977 to January 20, 1981 Carter's final year as president was marred by the Iran hostage crisis, which dominated the news at the time.
© Getty Images
23 / 31 Fotos
Jimmy Carter
- Lowest approval rating: 28% (1979) Highest approval rating: 75% (1977) The consequences of Iran's holding Americans captive, together with continuing inflation in the US, contributed to Carter's defeat and unpopularity in 1980.
© Getty Images
24 / 31 Fotos
3. George W. Bush
- Dates in office: January 20, 2001 to January 20, 2009 In the time of national crisis following the September 11 attacks, polls showed high approval ratings for Bush.
© Getty Images
25 / 31 Fotos
George W. Bush
- Lowest approval rating: 25% (2008) Highest approval rating: 90% (2001) However, his decline became historically low due to growing concern over the US-led occupation of Iraq and a slow recovery from the 2001 recession.
© Getty Images
26 / 31 Fotos
2. Richard Nixon (1913-1994)
- Dates in office: January 20, 1969 to August 9, 1974 Although Nixon started his presidency with strong approval ratings, the Watergate scandal quickly turned things around.
© Getty Images
27 / 31 Fotos
Richard Nixon (1913-1994)
- Lowest approval rating: 24% (1974) Highest approval rating: 67% (1969) Nixon's approval ratings never recovered from that point, and he left office with dismal presidential approval ratings.
© Getty Images
28 / 31 Fotos
1. Harry S. Truman (1884-1972)
- Dates in office: April 12, 1945 to January 20, 1953 The approval rating of the 33rd president decreased significantly in his second term.
© Getty Images
29 / 31 Fotos
Harry S. Truman (1884-1972)
- Lowest approval rating: 22% (1951) Highest approval rating: 87% (1945) This was largely due to economic slowdown, a prolonged military engagement in the Korean War, labor strife, and federal government corruption. Sources: (Gallup) (Reuters) (Pew Research) (Vox)
© Getty Images
30 / 31 Fotos
The most unpopular presidents in modern history
US presidents with the lowest approval ratings
© Getty Images
The attributes, abilities, accomplishments, and most of all, mistakes, of each US president are always subject to debate. Public opinion on these matters is captured in polls, most notably by the historical organization Gallup which has surveyed Americans since the mid-1930s to see who they think is doing the best job as president. And you might be surprised by some of the results!
So, who is the lowest-polled US president in modern history? Click on to find out.
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