Joe Biden Falls to Last Place in Popularity Poll—You Won’t Believe Who’s America’s Favorite President

A new Gallup poll shows that former President Joe Biden’s popularity has taken a major hit, making him the least-liked living U.S. president. The poll reveals that only 39% of Americans have a favorable view of him. This means he is now less popular than his predecessor and successor, Donald Trump, who has a 48% favorability rating.

With these numbers, many might wonder who the most popular living president is. According to Gallup, Barack Obama holds the highest approval, with 59% of Americans viewing him favorably. He is followed by George W. Bush, who has a 52% favorability rating. Bill Clinton and Donald Trump both have 48%. Biden, however, is at the bottom of the list, with the lowest favorability score among them.

Biden’s decline in public approval has been significant. His current 39% rating is only slightly better than his lowest-ever recorded rating of 37% in June 2024. That drop came after concerns about his public image, especially following a debate performance on June 27 that many saw as damaging. Gallup also notes that Biden has a 57% unfavorable rating, making him the only living U.S. president with a net-negative approval.

This is a sharp contrast to his earlier years in politics. When Biden was vice president, he was much more popular. In January 2017, his favorability peaked at 61%. When he took office as president in January 2021, he had a solid 59% approval rating. But over time, his popularity has steadily declined.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s numbers have been climbing. Gallup reports that his current 48% favorability rating is one of the highest he has had since entering politics. According to Gallup, the only time he had a net-positive approval rating was in 2005, when he was well-known for his role on the reality TV show The Apprentice and had not yet entered Republican politics.

During his first presidential campaign in 2015 and 2016, Trump’s average favorability was just 33%. After winning the election against Hillary Clinton in 2016, his approval rose to 42%. Throughout his presidency, his ratings fluctuated, reaching a high of 46% before dropping to 36% at the end of his term in early 2021. His decline was largely due to the handling of the COVID-19 crisis and the Capitol riot on January 6.

However, things changed after his indictment in the classified documents case in July 2023. Surprisingly, his approval rating improved, reaching 40%, and it has continued to climb, now sitting at 48%.

With the 2028 election approaching, both Biden and Trump remain under intense public scrutiny. However, Biden’s historically low favorability could be a major obstacle if he hopes to rebuild his political standing. His numbers show that many Americans are losing confidence in him, and turning that around may be a difficult challenge in the years ahead.