It turns out America’s most beloved public figure doesn’t live in the White House — she lives in Tennessee, sings in rhinestones, and runs a library for kids. A fresh batch of polling has delivered a gut punch to President Trump, with former President Barack Obama trouncing him in a favorability survey topped, naturally, by country music icon Dolly Parton.
According to a UMass Lowell/YouGov poll measuring public attitudes toward more than 20 public figures, Obama posted a 50% favorability rating against a 36% unfavorable rating — a net +14. Trump, by contrast, managed just 36% favorable and sits at -18 net favorability, placing him well behind most other figures in the survey.
The only other U.S. president to land in positive territory was George W. Bush, at +5. Former President Joe Biden finished at -19, narrowly trailing Trump at the bottom of the presidential pack.
Dolly Reigns Supreme
And then there’s Dolly. Parton absolutely dominated the survey with a 70% favorability rating and just 5% unfavorable — a staggering +65 net score, by far the highest mark recorded. In an era when Americans can barely agree on the weather, nearly three-quarters of the country is willing to sign off on the “Jolene” singer.
The poll, conducted March 26–30, arrives as Trump’s numbers have tumbled across a range of other surveys, with voters souring on his handling of the economy and the war in Iran. A CNN/SSRS poll this month found just 31% approve of his handling of the economy — a new career low in CNN polling.
A CBS/YouGov poll painted a similarly grim picture of the public mood on Iran: 68% said they feel worried about the conflict, 57% stressed, and 54% angry. Only 32% said they feel safe or confident about where things are headed.
Polling data also shows Trump is now underwater in more than half of the states he carried in 2024, including all seven battleground states he frequently touts as signature wins.
Approval Slides Across the Board
A Harvard CAPS-Harris poll released at the end of March found Trump’s overall approval rating fell to 43%, down 3 points from February. His economic approval sat at just 40%, and his inflation handling slipped to 39% — both among his lowest marks since returning to office in January 2025.
The mood inside American households is tracking downward, too. Just 32% said the economy was on the right track in March, down from 38% the previous month, while 45% said their personal financial situation had worsened, a 5-point jump. Only 35% said the country overall was headed in the right direction.
The March Harvard CAPS-Harris survey of 2,009 registered voters also found softening support within Trump’s base, with erosion particularly visible among younger voters and independents. Even some of his most reliable supporters are showing signs of fatigue.
A Fox News poll, meanwhile, showed Trump with a 59% disapproval rating — the highest of either of his two terms.
Trump, for his part, has insisted things have never been better. “I think I’m more popular than I ever have been,” he told Fox News last month.
A Term Voters Call a “Failure”
A January CNN/SSRS survey of 1,209 adults laid bare just how broad the dissatisfaction runs. It found 58% said Trump’s second term has been a “failure,” his overall approval rating stood at 39%, and just 36% think his priorities are in the right place.
Majorities disapproved of his handling of healthcare (63%), foreign affairs (60%), and immigration (58%). Only 39% approved of his handling of the economy, and 55% said his policies have “worsened” economic conditions. His signature tariffs drew 62% disapproval.
On a more personal note, 65% said Trump is not a president they can be “proud” of, and 68% said he is out of touch with the problems facing ordinary people. As one independent respondent from Oklahoma put it, “Even if he is doing some good in areas, he comes across very self-seeking and [shows] a lack of caring about the common good of our citizens.”
Bad Bunny, Virginia and More Bad Breaks
The polling slump has bled into cultural territory, too. A February Yahoo/YouGov poll of 1,704 Americans found 42% believe Super Bowl headliner Bad Bunny “better represents America” compared with 39% who picked Trump. Among independents, 46% sided with the Puerto Rican superstar versus just 27% for the president. His halftime show drew 128.2 million viewers, compared with a peak of roughly 5 million for the Turning Point USA “All-American Halftime Show” headlined by Kid Rock on YouTube.
And this week delivered another setback. On Tuesday, Virginia voters approved a redistricting referendum 51.5% to 48.6% — a measure that could hand Democrats up to four additional House seats in November. The fight fueled more than $81 million in ad spending, and the new maps could allow Democrats to capture 10 of the state’s 11 House seats, up from the six they currently hold.
Obama, who campaigned for the “yes” vote, celebrated on X. Dolly Parton, for her part, kept quiet. She doesn’t really need to say anything.