A recent poll comparing America’s First Ladies has ignited new discussions.
And the outcomes may astonish you….
While some women who have held this prestigious role are still greatly respected decades later, the current First Lady, Melania Trump, finds herself in a much more complex situation… positioned in the midst of a deeply divided public.
A competitive landscape
The poll, which gathered responses from 2,255 US citizens, placed Melania alongside some of the most iconic figures to have ever served as First Lady, such as Michelle Obama and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis — setting the bar high from the start.
Melania has often been seen as somewhat of a mystery. Even with her global presence, she has generally led a rather private life, particularly when contrasted with the intense scrutiny faced by her husband, Donald Trump, whose controversial reputation continues to divide public opinion.
According to YouGov polling, Melania has an approval rating of -16. This puts her behind her successor, Jill Biden, who has a score of -9, but she is not at the very bottom of the rankings.
That lowest position belongs to Hillary Clinton, who recorded a rating of -17. Nevertheless, the data indicates that negative ratings are quite prevalent among contemporary political figures, mirroring the current polarized environment.
The most popular First Ladies
In spite of the overall mixed ratings, a number of First Ladies received positive feedback from the public — and from both sides of the political spectrum.
- Nancy Reagan (+25)
- Rosalynn Carter (+32)
- Lady Bird Johnson (+23)
- Barbara Bush (+21)
- Michelle Obama (+21)
- Laura Bush (+19)
However, standing out among them all was Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who achieved an impressive +56 approval rating — highlighting her lasting legacy many years after her time in the White House.
The poll also revealed a well-known trend: Melania had a notably better performance among Republicans compared to Democrats, reflecting the wider partisan divide related to her husband’s presidency.
Trump’s ranking
In explaining its methodology, the polling firm stated:
“A random sample (stratified by gender, age, race, education, geographic region, and voter registration) was drawn from the 2019 American Community Survey.
“The sample was adjusted based on gender, age, race, education, 2024 presidential vote, 2020 election turnout and presidential vote, baseline party identification, and current voter registration status.”
The poll arrives as Melania Trump’s controversial documentary gains attention, reportedly earning $7 million during its opening weekend. (Amazon is said to have paid $40 million to acquire the rights to Melania Trump’s documentary and invested an additional $35 million in marketing and promotion.)
The survey also examined past presidents — and the findings were equally remarkable. Donald Trump placed last among the 20 leaders evaluated, receiving a net approval rating of -20. Following closely was Joe Biden, who turned out to be the second least favored in the survey.
Approximately 48 percent of those surveyed consider Donald Trump to be “poor,” while an additional 6 percent view him as “below average.”
