Melania: The Least Popular First Lady in American History

Washington (Agencies): Polls revealed that First Lady Melania Trump recorded the lowest approval rating compared to all her predecessors. According to CNN and SSRS figures, Melania’s net approval stands at 12%, with 41% of Americans expressing dissatisfaction with her, while only 29% expressed admiration. This sharp decline coincides with her conspicuous absence from the public spotlight; she has not appeared at any public event since the World Cup final in July last year, and her appearances this year have totaled just 38. This marks the worst rating in U.S. history, surpassing even Hillary Clinton, who ended her husband’s term with a 52% approval rating against 39% disapproval. In contrast, both Laura Bush and Michelle Obama achieved approval ratings exceeding 40% during the same period. Observers attribute this decline to a series of controversies surrounding Melania’s presence in the White House, most notably her wearing a jacket inscribed with “I Really Don’t Care, Do U?” during her visit to migrant children in detention centers in 2018, as well as speculation about her use of a look-alike for events, and her name being linked to other controversies involving controversial figures. Harry Enten, chief data analyst at CNN, commented, “Melania Trump is breaking records in the way no First Lady wants to... These are historically bad numbers.”