Gallup Ends Presidential Polling After Nearly Nine Decades

WASHINGTON — Presidential polling from Gallup is coming to an end after nearly nine decades, marking a significant shift in how one of America’s most respected survey organizations measures public opinion.

Since the 1930s, Gallup has been considered the gold standard for tracking presidential approval ratings. The firm now plans to pivot toward issue-based polling instead of presidential job approval measurements, though other polling organizations will continue to track these numbers.

Current polling data from Civiqs reveals a stark geographic divide in President Trump’s approval ratings, highlighting the country’s deep political polarization. The numbers closely mirror the 2024 election results, with Trump’s strongest support coming from states that voted heavily in his favor.

West Virginia currently shows the highest net approval rating for President Trump at plus 25, while Hawaii shows the lowest at negative 58. This pattern reflects the red-blue divide that characterized the recent presidential election.

What’s particularly notable is that several states Trump carried in 2024—including Alaska, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Wisconsin, Michigan and Georgia—now show him with negative net approval ratings. Many of these were battleground states with tight election margins, where political division remains pronounced.

Political analysts are carefully watching these numbers to determine whether these shifts represent disillusionment among Trump’s voters or simply reflect broader national sentiment toward his administration’s early policies and decisions.

Presidential approval polling itself has a rich history dating back to the late 1930s when George Gallup founded the American Institute of Public Opinion. Gallup pioneered asking Americans a straightforward question that has remained largely unchanged for decades: “Do you approve or disapprove of the way the president is handling his job?”

Franklin D. Roosevelt was among the earliest presidents measured with this approach. Historical data from the American Presidency Project at the University of California, Santa Barbara shows Roosevelt enjoyed approximately 69% approval in early measurements, maintaining relatively strong support throughout his presidency. Historians attribute this sustained popularity to his New Deal economic programs, effective communication through fireside chats, and wartime leadership.

Throughout polling history, approval ratings have often reflected national moments of crisis or unity. George W. Bush achieved the highest recorded presidential approval rating at 90% in September 2001, immediately following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Harry S. Truman reached 87% during the immediate post-World War II period when American confidence ran high. John F. Kennedy reached 83% approval early in his presidency in 1961.

The same metrics have captured dramatic falls from grace. Truman, despite once holding near-record high approval, also claims the lowest approval rating ever recorded by Gallup at just 22% in 1952 during the unpopular Korean War. Richard Nixon bottomed out at approximately 24% in 1974 amid the Watergate scandal just before his resignation. George W. Bush, whose presidency saw both the highest and some of the lowest approval ratings, dropped to about 25% during the 2008 financial crisis.

The end of Gallup’s presidential approval polling represents the conclusion of an era in American political measurement. Since transforming from a statistical experiment in the Roosevelt administration to one of the most closely watched metrics in politics, these approval ratings have provided a consistent barometer of public sentiment toward the presidency.

While Gallup steps away from this tradition, other polling firms will continue measuring these numbers, ensuring that this important metric of democratic feedback remains available to the public, journalists, and political analysts as the Trump administration navigates its early months in office.

Gallup’s decision comes at a time when the polling industry faces numerous challenges, including declining response rates and methodological questions about accurately capturing public opinion in an increasingly fragmented media environment. The organization’s shift toward issue-based polling may reflect an effort to adapt to these changing dynamics while continuing to provide valuable insights into American public opinion.