During her tenure as First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump, much like her husband Donald Trump, has experienced a series of ups and downs. Even though she has appeared in public on various occasions, she has mostly maintained a low profile compared to other first ladies. Recently, a fresh poll sheds light on how Americans truly perceive her performance in this prestigious role compared to her predecessors.
Before she and Donald Trump returned to the White House in January of last year, Melania stated that her second time in Washington would be distinct from her prior experience. The former model from Slovenia shared her plans to divide her time between Washington, Palm Beach, and New York City while also fulfilling her responsibilities as First Lady.
Despite continuing her Be Best initiative aimed at fostering well-being, the highlight of her second term has largely been a documentary project. She announced the film just before her husband’s second inauguration.
Amazon reportedly purchased the documentary rights for a handsome $40 million. The film premiered in January and has received mixed reviews. However, Melania has expressed her satisfaction with the outcome.
“I’m very proud of the film,” she stated in an interview with CNN before the film’s release. “People may like it or they may not, and that’s their choice. We achieved what we set out to achieve. For myself, it’s already successful. I’m very proud of what we did.”
Public Opinion on Melania Trump as First Lady
With Donald Trump encountering challenges in the polls as the midterms approach, many are curious about how Melania Trump is perceived by the American public. A recent poll conducted by YouGov may provide some insight.
The poll notes that it “was conducted online among 2,255 adult citizens during two distinct surveys from February 2-5 and February 3-5 in 2026.”
YouGov elaborates further, “A random sample (considering gender, age, race, education, geographic region, and voter registration) was selected from the 2019 American Community Survey. The sample was then adjusted based on gender, age, race, education, the 2024 presidential vote, 2020 election turnout and vote, baseline party identification, and current voter registration status.”
So, what does the poll reveal? It indicates that Melania holds a -16 approval rating, which is lower than the former first lady, Jill Biden, who stands at -9. Nonetheless, Melania’s rating is marginally higher than Hilary Clinton’s, who is at -17.
Comparatively, other First Ladies have substantially higher approval ratings. Nancy Reagan has a +25 rating, Lady Bird Johnson a +23, Rosalynn Carter a +32, and Barbara Bush a +21. Meanwhile, Michelle Obama enjoys a +21 rating and Laura Bush has a +19.
The standout, however, is Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, wife of President John F. Kennedy. Serving as First Lady from 1961 to 1963, she garnered an impressive +56 approval rating, as per a YouGov survey.
It’s worth noting that Melania’s approval rating tends to be higher among Republican voters compared to Democrats.
What’s your perspective on Melania Trump’s role as First Lady of the United States? Feel free to share your thoughts!
