Ever found yourself in a heated debate over who was actually the most popular U.S. leader? People love to throw around names like Reagan or Obama, but the data tells a much weirder, more volatile story. If you’re looking for the president with highest approval rating, the answer isn't a single person.
It depends on how you measure "popular."
Are we talking about a single, heart-stopping moment in history? Or are we talking about the steady, slow-burn affection of a nation over several years? Honestly, the names that sit at the top of the Gallup charts might surprise you. Some of the most beloved figures in retrospect were actually kind of hated while they were in the Oval Office.
The 90% Club: George W. Bush’s Record Spike
If you want the absolute highest number ever recorded by a pollster, you have to look at September 2001. George W. Bush hit a staggering 90% approval rating.
Think about that. In a country that usually can't agree on what to have for dinner, nine out of ten people backed the guy. It’s the highest "rally 'round the flag" effect ever documented. But here’s the kicker: that number didn't last. By the time he left office in 2009, his rating had plummeted to 34%. It’s a wild swing that shows how a crisis can unify a country, but only for a season.
His father, George H.W. Bush, had a similar ride. After the success of the Gulf War in 1991, he was sitting pretty at 89%. People thought he was unbeatable. Then the economy tanked, and he lost his re-election bid just a year later. It sorta proves that being the president with highest approval rating at one moment doesn't guarantee a legacy—or even a second term.
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The Gold Standard: John F. Kennedy’s Consistency
Now, if you ask a historian who the real "popular" president was, they’ll point to John F. Kennedy. While he never hit that 90% peak, he holds the record for the highest average approval rating in the modern era.
Kennedy averaged 70.1% throughout his entire presidency.
He stayed in that "sweet spot" of public affection for nearly his whole term. Even his lowest rating—56% in September 1963—is higher than the peak ratings of some recent presidents. There’s a certain "Camelot" aura that keeps him at the top of these lists. People often wonder if those numbers would have dropped if he had served two full terms, but we’ll never know.
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Modern Averages Since WWII
| President | Average Approval % | Peak % |
|---|---|---|
| John F. Kennedy | 70.1 | 83 |
| Dwight Eisenhower | 65.0 | 79 |
| George H.W. Bush | 60.9 | 89 |
| Bill Clinton | 55.1 | 73 |
| Lyndon Johnson | 55.1 | 79 |
| Ronald Reagan | 52.8 | 68 |
| Barack Obama | 47.9 | 69 |
Basically, the further back you go, the higher the averages seem to be. Part of that is because the country was way less polarized. You didn't have 24-hour cable news or Twitter (now X) tearing apart every single sentence a president spoke. You’ve also got the "Honeymoon Period" which used to last months, but now feels like it lasts about fifteen minutes.
The Truman Paradox: From 87% to 22%
Harry Truman is the ultimate cautionary tale for anyone obsessed with being the president with highest approval rating. When he took over after FDR died, he was at 87%. Everyone was rooting for him.
But by 1952? He hit 22%.
That was the record low for decades. People were frustrated with the Korean War, inflation, and a messy domestic agenda. What’s fascinating is that today, Truman is consistently ranked by historians as one of the top ten presidents of all time. It goes to show that the public’s immediate "vibe check" doesn't always match up with the long-term historical verdict.
Why Do These Numbers Even Matter?
You might think these percentages are just for political nerds. They aren't. A high approval rating is basically "political capital." When a president is at 70%, they can bully Congress into passing big laws. When they’re at 35%, even their own party starts ignoring their phone calls.
- War and Crisis: These always cause a spike. It's the "Rally Effect."
- Gas Prices: No joke, there is a direct correlation between what you pay at the pump and how much you like the guy in the White House.
- The Economy: High unemployment is the fastest way to kill a 60% rating.
- Scandal: Nixon was doing okay until Watergate; he ended at 24%.
What You Should Keep in Mind
If you’re tracking the current administration or looking at historical data, don't just look at the peaks. Look at the floor. The "floor" tells you how many people will stick by a leader even when things are going badly. In the 1950s, that floor was much higher. Today, the floor for most presidents is somewhere around 35-40%, largely because of the deep partisan divide.
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To truly understand the president with highest approval rating, you need to look at the context of the era. Comparison between 1960 and 2026 is almost impossible because the way we consume information has changed so fundamentally.
Next Steps for Deepening Your Knowledge:
- Check the Raw Data: Go to the Gallup Historical Statistics database. They have the most consistent records dating back to the 1930s.
- Compare "Retrospective" Polls: Look for polls that ask "How do you feel about this president now?" You'll find that Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan often score much higher today than they did while they were actually in office.
- Analyze the Swing: Look at the "approval-disapproval" gap rather than just the approval number. A president with 50% approval and 40% disapproval is in a much stronger position than one with 50% approval and 48% disapproval.