Donald Trump has a positive favorability rating, meaning more people have a positive view of him than a negative one, in half of the U.S. states, according to new data.
The Context
It is common for a president’s favorability rating to improve at the start of their term, as newly elected leaders often benefit from a “honeymoon period.” Past presidents have typically enjoyed strong positive ratings during this time, meaning more people have a favorable view of them than an unfavorable one, which has not been the case for Trump.
That said, Trump improved on his margins in all but two states in the 2024 election. He also improved on his margins among groups that don’t traditionally vote Republican, such as Black and Generation Z voters.
Since the election, some polls have shown Trump’s approval ratings growing among these groups, indicating a realignment in voter demographics that could have lasting implications for future votes.
Alex Brandon/AP
What To Know
Trump’s highest favorability rating is in Wyoming, where 69% of registered voters view him positively, while 27% hold an unfavorable opinion, according to the latest Civiqs data. Wyoming, a deep-red state that has voted Republican in every presidential election since at least 1980, saw 71% of voters choose Trump in 2024—marking a 3-point increase from 2020.
His favorability also remains strong in other Republican strongholds, with ratings in the 60s across West Virginia, Oklahoma, North Dakota, Idaho, Arkansas, and Alabama.
Conversely, Trump’s lowest favorability rating is in Vermont, where just 26% of registered voters view him in a positive light, compared to 71% who hold an unfavorable opinion. Hawaii follows closely, with 28% expressing a favorable view and 69% unfavorable. Despite being solidly Democratic states, Vermont experienced a 3-point shift toward Republicans in 2024, while Hawaii moved 4 points.
In key swing states that ultimately backed Trump, opinions are more divided. In Arizona, 50% view him favorably, while 47% hold an unfavorable opinion. In Georgia, 51% have a negative view, compared to 46% who see him positively. Michigan and Nevada show similar trends, with 50% of voters viewing him unfavorably and 47% favorably.
Trump’s ratings are notably weaker in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Wisconsin, where unfavorable opinions outpace favorable ones by 4 to 7 percentage points.
A similar trend is seen in Democratic strongholds of New York and California, despite both states experiencing the largest rightward shifts in the 2024 election—each swinging 12 percentage points toward Trump compared to 2020. In New York, 59% of voters hold an unfavorable view of him, while 38% have a favorable opinion. In California, 64% view him unfavorably, with just 33% expressing a positive view.
Trump More Popular Than Ever
It comes as polls show Trump is more popular than he ever has been. The Real Clear Politics tracker indicates that Trump’s favorability rating currently averages +1.2 points, with 48.9 percent of respondents viewing him favorably and 47.7 percent holding an unfavorable opinion.
It is only the second time Trump has had a positive rating, the tracker shows, with the first occurring between December 7 and 20 when his rating went above +1.
Before that, his favorability rating had always been in the negative, meaning more people had an unfavorable view of him than saw him positively, with his rating being -35.2 in April 2016.
FiveThirtyEight’s favorability tracker also indicates that Trump’s popularity is on the rise. Though he has still never had a positive favorability rating with the pollster, with his average currently standing at -0.6. That is up from a low of -18 in February 2021.
Meanwhile, polling released last week by Gallup, found that 47 percent of respondents support Trump’s term so far.
However, that rating is lower than all other elected presidents since 1953 and he remains the only elected president with sub-50 percent initial approval ratings.
Former President Joe Biden carried a 57 percent approval rating after his first week in office.
What Happens Next
Whether Trump’s current high approval ratings will be maintained remains to be seen.
Since taking office, he has issued over 100 executive orders, targeting immigration, reversing diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, rolling back environmental protections, and imposing higher tariffs on countries like China, Mexico, and Canada.
Polling suggests that voters largely support his immigration policies. A New York Times/Ipsos survey conducted from January 2 to 10 found that 55 percent of voters either strongly or somewhat support his mass deportation plan, while 88 percent back “deporting immigrants who are here illegally and have criminal records.” Across party lines, majorities of both Democrats and Republicans agree that the immigration system is broken.
