Kathrine Frich
Donald Trump is facing renewed pressure with “No Kings” protests, that have drawn millions to demonstrate in the streets this weekend.
The magnitude of the demonstrations shows continued opposition to his political influence.
At the same time, polling suggests that public sentiment may also be shifting toward figures closely associated with him.
Poll results
Melania Trump ranks as the second least popular first lady in recent history, according to a YouGov poll reported by The Independent.
The survey of 2,255 U.S. adults asked respondents to rate 11 recent first ladies from “Outstanding” to “Poor.” Melania Trump received a net approval rating of -16.
Thirty-six percent rated her as “poor,” while 10 percent said “below average.” By contrast, 18 percent described her as “outstanding” and 12 percent as “above average.”
Most disliked
Hillary Clinton ranked lowest among the group, narrowly trailing Melania Trump with a net rating of -17.
According to the poll, 33 percent of respondents rated Clinton as “poor,” with another 11 percent placing her “below average.”
In contrast, Jacqueline Kennedy, Rosalynn Carter and Nancy Reagan were the most highly rated, with strong positive scores.
Popular figures
Michelle Obama also ranked among the more positively viewed first ladies. The survey found 33 percent rated her as “outstanding,” while 12 percent said “above average.”
Her overall net rating stood at +21, though 22 percent of respondents still rated her as “poor.”
The poll noted that views of first ladies tend to mirror political divisions, similar to opinions of their spouses.
Presidential ratings
The survey also assessed U.S. presidents, with Donald Trump receiving the lowest ranking among 20 presidents evaluated.
Forty-eight percent of respondents rated him as “poor,” and 6 percent as “below average,” giving him the lowest overall score.
Joe Biden ranked as the second least popular, with 38 percent rating him “poor.”
Political divide
In many cases, first ladies received higher ratings than their husbands. However, Hillary Clinton stood out as having a significantly lower rating than Bill Clinton.
Melania and Donald Trump had similarly negative scores, at -16 and -20 respectively.
The poll comes as Melania Trump’s documentary release draws attention, reportedly earning $7 million in its opening weekend before dropping to $2.4 million in its second week.
Sources: The Independent, YouGov
