Zelensky Second Most Popular ‘Newsmaker’ Among Americans, Trump Better Liked Than Biden: Gallup Poll

Yves Herman, Pool Photo via AP

Gallup released its poll looking at the favorability rating of 15 top newsmakers this week and concluded that America “needs to look beyond its borders” to find figures well-liked by a majority of the country.

The poll reflected the polarization that continues to rip at the ties of American democracy and noted that there exists “intense partisanship around the presidency.”

“The most politically polarizing figures in the poll are those linked to the U.S. presidency: Joe and Jill Biden, Harris, Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is running for the Republican nomination. More than 60 points separate Republicans’ and Democrats’ favorable ratings of each of these newsmakers,” wrote Gallup’s Lydia Saad.

Donald Trump and Joe Biden both scored only a 41% approval rating among respondents, but Trump’s rating was slightly better as his unfavorability rating was lower than Biden’s. Trump is viewed unfavorably by 55% of Americans polled, while 57% view Biden unfavorably.

Vice President Kamala Harris has a 38/53% favorable, unfavorable split, while Jill Biden came in at 49/38%. Jill Biden’s 49% approval rating was the highest among American figures polled and landed her in third place overall, after Prince William of England and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky – who came in first and second place respectively.

Gallup Poll

William scored a 59/22% favorable, unfavorable split, while Zelensky landed a 57/29% split. Russia’s Vladimir Putin was the least popular figure polled with a 5/90% favorable, unfavorable split.

“Behind Putin, who is universally disliked, Prince William is the next-most politically unifying figure in the poll, as more than six in 10 Republicans (65%) and Democrats (63%) view him favorably. His rating from independents is slightly lower, at 54%, at least partly related to independents’ skewing younger than partisans,” noted Saad.

Zelensky was more polarizing with 51% of Republicans and 75% of Democrats viewing him favorably. Support for Zelensky was notable, however, given the incredibly harsh treatment he has received from opinion hosts like Tucker Carlson – who until his firing was the most-watched person on cable news.

Gallup Poll

Read the full summary of the poll here.