Melania Trump Ranks Second Least Popular Among Recent First Ladies

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A recent YouGov poll found that Melania Trump, the wife of former President Donald Trump, is the second least popular of 11 recent first ladies, with a net approval rating of -16. The poll asked respondents to rank the first ladies on a scale from "outstanding" to "poor". Hillary Clinton, the wife of former President Bill Clinton, had the lowest net rating at -17. The most popular recent first ladies were Jackie Kennedy, Rosalynn Carter, and Nancy Reagan.

Why it matters

While the role of the first lady is largely ceremonial, Melania Trump's low popularity could reflect broader concerns about the Trump administration and how modern first ladies are judged through the lens of their husbands' presidencies. This is particularly relevant as Melania Trump's public profile has increased with the recent release of a film about her.

The details

The YouGov poll surveyed 2,255 adults between February 2-5, 2026, with a margin of error of +/- 2.6 percentage points. Aside from the 36% who said Melania Trump was "poor", another 10% rated her as "below average", giving her a net approval rating of -16. Hillary Clinton fared slightly worse, with 33% rating her as "poor" and 11% as "below average", for a net rating of -17.

• The poll was conducted between February 2-5, 2026.