Camilla Jessen
Poll shows how Americans view Melania Trump compared with past first ladies.
A new national survey offers insight into how Americans view First Lady Melania Trump compared with other women who have held the role.
The findings suggest she faces more negative ratings than several of her predecessors, though her support varies sharply along party lines.
According to a recent YouGov poll of more than 2,000 U.S. adults, Melania Trump holds a net approval rating of -16. She has served as First Lady again since January 2025, following Donald Trump’s return to the White House after the 2024 election.
The survey found that her rating is lower than that of former First Lady Jill Biden, who registered at -9. Hillary Clinton, who served as First Lady before running for president in 2016, recorded a -17 rating.
While all three women received negative net scores in the poll, Melania’s standing places her slightly above Clinton but below Biden.
Past first ladies
Several former first ladies received significantly more favorable ratings. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who served from 1961 to 1963, topped the list with a +56 rating.
Other highly rated figures included Rosalynn Carter (+32), Nancy Reagan (+25), Lady Bird Johnson (+23), Barbara Bush (+21), Michelle Obama (+21) and Laura Bush (+19).
The poll indicates that Melania Trump performs better among Republican voters than Democrats, reflecting broader partisan divides.
How the poll was conducted
YouGov said the survey sample was drawn from the 2019 American Community Survey and weighted by factors including gender, age, race, education, geographic region and past voting behavior.
The data were also adjusted to reflect 2024 presidential vote patterns, 2020 turnout, baseline party identification and current voter registration status.
Documentary spotlight
The poll comes shortly after the release of Melania, an Amazon documentary exploring her life and time in the White House. According to reports, Amazon paid $40 million for the film rights.
Speaking to CNN before the release, Melania said the project was not financially motivated.
“I’m very proud of the film so people may like it, may don’t like it, and that’s their choice,” she said. “We achieved what we want to achieve. For myself, it’s already successful. I’m very proud of what we did.”
Sources: YouGov, CNN
