New Poll Reveals How Americans View First Ladies—And Why Melania Trump Divides Opinion

A newly released poll comparing America’s First Ladies has reignited a familiar conversation—how history remembers the women who stood beside presidents, and how the present judges those still in the spotlight.

This time, the results have drawn particular attention to Melania Trump, whose public image continues to sit in a complicated space. Neither widely embraced nor entirely rejected, she reflects the broader divisions shaping modern American politics.

The survey, conducted among 2,255 U.S. citizens, placed Melania alongside some of the most iconic figures to ever hold the role, including Michelle Obama and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. In such company, expectations were inevitably high.

Unlike many of her predecessors, Melania has maintained a notably reserved presence during and after her time in the White House. That contrast has shaped how she is perceived—less defined by public initiatives and more by distance and restraint.

According to YouGov, Melania holds a net approval rating of -16. This places her behind Jill Biden, but slightly ahead of Hillary Clinton, who recorded the lowest rating among those measured.

At the same time, several former First Ladies received strong positive ratings across party lines, including Nancy Reagan, Rosalynn Carter, Lady Bird Johnson, Barbara Bush, and Laura Bush. Michelle Obama also remained among the most favorably viewed.

Yet Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis stood apart with a +56 approval rating, reinforcing her enduring legacy decades after her time in the White House.

The poll also highlighted a clear partisan divide in how Melania Trump is viewed, with significantly stronger support among Republicans than Democrats.

Methodologically, the survey used a stratified sampling approach and was weighted to reflect key demographic and political factors, aiming for a balanced national snapshot.

Beyond First Ladies, the poll extended to former presidents, where Donald Trump ranked last among 20 presidents, followed closely by Joe Biden—reflecting continued polarization in public opinion.

Nearly half of respondents rated Trump’s presidency as “poor,” underscoring how sharply divided evaluations of recent political figures remain.

Overall, the findings offer less a final ranking and more a reflection of how perception shifts depending on time, politics, and memory—where legacy often grows clearer with distance, while the present remains contested and unsettled.