{"id":2918,"date":"2026-03-07T02:23:58","date_gmt":"2026-03-07T02:23:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cehre.net\/?p=2918"},"modified":"2026-03-07T02:23:58","modified_gmt":"2026-03-07T02:23:58","slug":"new-poll-reveals-how-americans-really-feel-about-melania-trump-compared-to-other-first-ladies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cehre.net\/?p=2918","title":{"rendered":"New poll reveals how Americans really feel about Melania Trump compared to other first ladies"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Melania Trump\u2019s second tenure as First Lady of the United States has mirrored the turbulent trajectory of her husband\u2019s administration: a high-stakes \u201croller coaster\u201d defined by a deliberate, often impenetrable privacy. While she remains a fixture of the global stage, she has largely retreated from the traditional visibility of the East Wing. Now, fresh polling data is pulling back the curtain on how the American public evaluates her performance compared to the historical giants who preceded her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before reclaiming her title in January 2025, the Slovenian-born former model signaled that her second act in Washington would break tradition. Melania has largely delivered on that promise, dividing her time between the White House, her New York residence, and Mar-a-Lago, all while maintaining her signature Be Best<\/em> initiative. However, the true centerpiece of her return has been a cinematic one.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The $40 Million \u201cExperience\u201d<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Shortly before Donald Trump\u2019s second inauguration, Melania announced the production of a documentary chronicling her re-entry into public life. In a move that stunned the industry, Amazon reportedly paid $40 million for the filming rights<\/strong>\u2014a record-shattering sum for a commissioned documentary. Released this past January, the film has faced a polarized reception from critics, even as Melania herself maintains its success is personal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m very proud of the film, so people may like it, may don\u2019t like it, and that\u2019s their choice,\u201d she told CNN shortly before the premiere. \u201cWe achieved what we want to achieve. For myself, it\u2019s already successful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Numbers: A Net-Negative Approval<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While the President navigates fluctuating polls ahead of the upcoming midterms, a comprehensive YouGov poll<\/strong> conducted between February 2 and 5, 2026, offers a sobering baseline for the First Lady\u2019s standing. The survey, which reached 2,255 adult citizens, revealed that Melania holds a -16 net approval rating<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While this figure places her below her immediate predecessor, Jill Biden (-9)<\/strong>, she remains slightly more popular than Hillary Clinton<\/strong>, who polled at -17<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Net Approval Ratings: A Historical Comparison<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The contrast between the current First Lady and her predecessors is stark, as many historical figures retain high double-digit favorability:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First Lady<\/strong><\/td>Net Approval Rating<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead>
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis<\/strong><\/td>+56<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Rosalynn Carter<\/td>+32<\/td><\/tr>
Nancy Reagan<\/td>+25<\/td><\/tr>
Lady Bird Johnson<\/td>+23<\/td><\/tr>
Michelle Obama<\/td>+21<\/td><\/tr>
Barbara Bush<\/td>+21<\/td><\/tr>
Laura Bush<\/td>+19<\/td><\/tr>
Jill Biden<\/strong><\/td>-9<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Melania Trump<\/strong><\/td>-16<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Hillary Clinton<\/strong><\/td>-17<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The Polarized Divide<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Unsurprisingly, the data highlights a chasm in partisan perception. Melania\u2019s support remains robust among Republican voters<\/strong>, where her approval significantly outpaces her standing with Democrats and Independents. This polarization reflects the broader political climate, where the role of the First Lady has increasingly become a lightning rod for partisan sentiment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the negative net rating, Melania continues to focus on her \u201cpurposeful storytelling,\u201d betting that her documentary and selective public appearances will eventually shift the needle in her favor.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Melania Trump\u2019s second tenure as First Lady of the United States has mirrored the turbulent trajectory of her husband\u2019s administration: a high-stakes \u201croller coaster\u201d defined by a deliberate, often impenetrable privacy. While she remains a fixture of the global stage, she has largely retreated from the traditional visibility of the East Wing. Now, fresh polling …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2919,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2918","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cehre.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2918","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cehre.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cehre.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cehre.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cehre.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2918"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cehre.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2918\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2920,"href":"https:\/\/cehre.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2918\/revisions\/2920"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cehre.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2919"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cehre.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2918"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cehre.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2918"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cehre.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2918"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}