Here are the best and least liked living US presidents, according to poll

LOS ANGELES - Public opinion on U.S. presidents often shifts with time, reflecting political events, policy decisions, and changing historical perspectives.

A new Gallup poll, conducted Jan. 21-27, ranked the five living U.S. presidents by favorability, revealing how Americans view their past and present leaders.

The survey comes shortly after Trump’s second inauguration and follows a period of heightened political division. While some former presidents have seen favorability increases in their post-presidency years, others remain deeply polarizing figures. The poll sheds light on which presidents have maintained public approval—and which ones have seen their reputations decline.

Here’s a breakdown of the latest presidential favorability rankings and what they reveal about America’s political landscape.

How Americans rank their presidents

By the numbers:

The Gallup poll measured favorability ratings for Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton. The results show a clear divide in public perception:

• Barack Obama: 59% favorable, making him the most-liked living U.S. president. His favorability has remained above 50% since he left office.
• George W. Bush: 52% favorable, reflecting a steady improvement in his post-presidency reputation.
• Bill Clinton: 48% favorable, with declining negative ratings helping his net favorability.
• Donald Trump: Divided public opinion, with one of his highest favorability ratings (46%) since Gallup began tracking him in 1999.
• Joe Biden: 39% favorable, ranking him at the bottom of the list, with public concerns over his age and leadership contributing to his low rating.

What’s driving these ratings?

Big picture view:

Public perception of presidents often fluctuates based on their time in office and how their leadership is viewed in hindsight. The latest Gallup data shows:

• Obama’s steady popularity: Since leaving office, his favorability has remained consistently between 58-63%, making him the most well-regarded living president.
• Trump’s growing acceptance: His 46% favorability is among his highest ratings, reflecting a loyal Republican base and increased support after regaining the presidency.
• Biden’s struggles: At 39% favorable, 57% unfavorable, Biden’s approval rating remains near historic lows, driven by concerns over his leadership, age, and economic issues.
• Bush and Clinton’s stable reputations: Both have seen modest improvements in favorability, with fewer Americans holding strong negative views as time passes.

Party divides on presidential favorability

Dig deeper:

As expected, party affiliation plays a major role in how Americans rate their presidents. The Gallup survey found:

• Trump has the most extreme partisan divide, with 93% of Republicans viewing him favorably compared to just 7% of Democrats—an 86-point gap.
• Obama is overwhelmingly popular among Democrats (96%), while Biden’s support within his own party (78%) lags behind.
• Bush holds the smallest partisan divide, with Republicans (63%) and Democrats (48%) rating him more evenly than other presidents.
• Clinton and Biden have seen a drop in Democratic support, though Clinton remains net-positive in public opinion.

How presidential legacies evolve

What's next:

Historically, favorability ratings change over time as presidents move further from the political spotlight. Obama and Bush have benefited from post-presidency approval increases, while Biden’s current struggles could improve in the future, following patterns seen with past leaders.

For Trump, the next four years will be crucial in shaping his long-term legacy. His ratings could rise or fall depending on public perception of his second term policies and leadership style. Meanwhile, Biden’s post-presidency reputation may improve if historical trends hold.

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