President Donald Trump has surpassed Ronald Reagan and Abraham Lincoln as the most admired president among Republican voters, according to recent polling data. This shift highlights a significant divergence between his enduring support within the GOP base and historically weak approval ratings among the general American public. The findings underscore the President's continued dominance over party politics despite facing some of the lowest approval numbers of his presidency.
Strong Support Within the Republican Party
A CNN poll conducted by SSRS found that 53 percent of Republicans named Trump as the GOP president they admire most. This figure is nearly three times higher than the 18 percent who selected Reagan and more than six times the eight percent who chose Lincoln. The survey, conducted from May 7 to May 31 among 2,480 U.S. adults, reported a margin of error of plus or minus 5.2 percentage points for Republican respondents.
A separate Elon University poll produced similar results regarding partisan attachment, though with a narrower margin. In this survey, 29 percent of Republicans identified Trump as the best president in U.S. history, ahead of Lincoln at 25 percent and George Washington at 14 percent. The Elon University America250 survey was conducted from April 30 to May 4 among 1,077 adults before matching responses down to a final sample of 1,000.
Diverging National Approval Ratings
While loyalty remains strong within the party, national polls indicate Trump's standing with the wider electorate is declining. Recent data from Angus Reid Institute found that only 34 percent approved of his performance, while 58 percent disapproved. Similarly, a Reuters/Ipsos poll reported approval holding at a record low of 33 percent among all adults.
The contrast between party loyalty and public perception is stark. CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten described the polling results as a "reality check," noting that Trump remains "the sun on which the planets of the GOP revolve." This dynamic suggests his influence over Republican voters may remain insulated from broader political difficulties, potentially impacting the party's outlook for the 2026 midterm elections, as this newspaper reported in Trump Approval Rating With Independents Hits New Low.
Presidential Rankings and White House Response
In a Truth Social post on Thursday, President Trump shared a graphic ranking U.S. presidents into categories ranging from "The Greatest" to "Failures." He placed himself in the top tier alone, grouping Lincoln and Washington under "Great," while placing Joe Biden and Barack Obama in the "Failures" category.
Newsweek contacted the White House via email on Thursday afternoon for comment regarding these polling trends. The data reflects a complex political landscape where historical admiration within one party coexists with record-low approval ratings nationally.
