Gallup Ends 88-Year Presidential Approval Tracking
Gallup will stop publishing presidential approval and favorability ratings, ending a series dating to 1935 with the last data from Dec. 2025.
Overview
Gallup confirmed on Feb. 11 that it will stop publishing presidential approval and favorability ratings, ending an 88-year presidential approval series that began in 1935 and taking effect in 2026, a spokesperson said.
The decision follows Gallup's Dec. 1-15, 2025, survey that put President Donald Trump at 36% approve and 59% disapprove, figures Gallup said will be its last presidential approval publication.
Justin McCarthy, a Gallup spokesman, said the shift "reflects an evolution in how Gallup focuses its public research and thought leadership," and Gallup told Axios that production was now widely replicated and aggregated.
Gallup's presidential approval series included peak ratings such as Harry S. Truman's 87% in June 1945 and George W. Bush's 90% in Sept. 2001, reflecting a dataset used by more than 4,000 organizations, the company said.
Gallup said it will continue the Gallup Poll Social Series, the Gallup Quarterly Business Review and the World Poll, and analysts said other pollsters' continued presidential approval tracking could shape public perception ahead of the 2026 election.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources report this development neutrally, emphasizing facts and context: they quote Gallup’s spokesperson explaining the decision, provide approval figures and historical data, note proliferation of other polls, and attribute criticism of pollsters to Trump as reported behavior. They avoid loaded adjectives and prioritize sourced numbers and quotes.
Sources (10)
FAQ
Gallup is shifting focus to reflect an evolution in its public research and thought leadership, as approval ratings are now widely replicated and aggregated by others, allowing Gallup to prioritize unique insights on issues shaping everyday lives.
President Trump's last Gallup approval rating from the Dec. 1-15, 2025 survey was 36% approve and 59% disapprove.
Gallup began tracking presidential approval ratings in 1938, with the series starting formally around 1935 for public opinion surveys.
Highest: George W. Bush at 90% in Sept. 2001; Harry S. Truman at 87% in June 1945. Lowest: Harry Truman at 22% in Feb. 1952.
Gallup will continue the Gallup Poll Social Series, Gallup Quarterly Business Review, World Poll, and polling on issues impacting daily lives like immigration and the economy.[1]
History
4 sources