According to this year’s Gallup poll measuring the retrospective approval ratings of past presidents, seven of the nine previous presidents receive net-positive retrospective approval ratings. The two exceptions are Donald Trump, with 46% of Americans approving of the job he did in his initial retrospective approval rating, and Richard Nixon at 32%, John F. Kennedy is the highest at 90%.
Why It Matters: The retrospective ratings for the nine presidents in Gallup’s survey are an average 12 points higher than these presidents’ final approval ratings in office. Trump is the sole exception.
By The Numbers:
The Bottom Line: Americans are generally more favorable to presidents once their terms are over. Trump and Nixon are the exceptions. Trump, however, enjoys a high rating among Republican voters. That’s not enough to win the presidency in 2024. His primary opponents who would have a better chance at success next November must learn how to navigate Trump’s high approval rating among Republicans while Trump should realize that to win back the White House, he must improve his standing with the majority of Americans who disapprove of him.
