Ever wondered who actually holds the title for the most disliked person in the Oval Office? Most people guess Richard Nixon. You know, the whole Watergate thing. Others might point to more recent names that dominate the 24-hour news cycle. But if we’re looking strictly at the data—the cold, hard numbers from Gallup—the answer is a bit of a shocker.
The person with the lowest approval rating US president in history is Harry S. Truman.
In February 1952, Truman hit a rock-bottom approval of just 22%. To put that in perspective, that’s lower than Nixon’s lowest (24%) and lower than George W. Bush’s lowest (25%). It’s a staggering number. But why did a guy we now consider a "top ten" president get so much hate while he was actually doing the job?
The 22% Club: What Went Wrong for Harry Truman?
Honestly, Truman was dealing with a mess. By 1952, the American public was just... done. The Korean War was dragging on with no end in sight. People were frustrated. Inflation was eating into paychecks, and a massive corruption scandal involving the "Deepfreeze" and mink coats in his administration made him look like he’d lost control.
It’s kinda wild to think about now.
Today, historians love him for the Marshall Plan and the Truman Doctrine. But back then? He was basically the guy who couldn't handle the "Red Scare" or the economy.
George W. Bush and the 2008 Crash
The only person who really gave Truman a run for his money in the "least popular" category was George W. Bush. In October 2008, right as the global financial system was essentially melting down, Bush’s approval sank to 25%.
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He had a 71% disapproval rating, which is actually the highest disapproval ever recorded by Gallup.
Think about that for a second. More people actively disliked what Bush was doing in 2008 than disliked Truman in 1952, even if Truman’s positive "approval" number was slightly lower. It’s a weird nuance of polling. Sometimes people don't "approve," but they also don't "disapprove"—they just don't care. In Bush's case, they cared, and they were mad.
Why Lowest Approval Rating US President Numbers Are Deceiving
You've gotta look at the context. Polling didn't even exist for most of U.S. history. We have no idea what Andrew Johnson’s "rating" was after he was impeached, or how much people hated James Buchanan as the country drifted toward Civil War. We only have this data starting with FDR in the late 1930s.
The Polarization Factor
In 2025 and 2026, we’re seeing a new trend. Approval ratings don't move like they used to.
Look at Donald Trump. During his first term, his approval was famously steady—and low. He never hit 50%, but he also never plummeted to the 20s. Why? Because the country is so divided that his "floor" was incredibly high. His supporters weren't going anywhere, and his detractors weren't either.
In his current second term, we’re seeing something similar. As of late 2025, Trump’s approval has hovered around 36% to 41%. In a different era, the controversies he faces might have pushed him into the Truman-style 20s. But nowadays, 35% is the new 20%.
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- Harry Truman (1952): 22%
- Richard Nixon (1974): 24%
- George W. Bush (2008): 25%
- Jimmy Carter (1979): 28%
- Donald Trump (2021): 34% (End of first term)
What Really Happened With Richard Nixon?
Nixon is the poster child for a "failed" presidency, but he actually started his second term with sky-high numbers. He had just won 49 states! Then Watergate started leaking.
It wasn't a sudden drop. It was a slow, agonizing bleed. By the time he resigned in August 1974, he was at 24%.
What’s interesting is that even then, about 24% of the country still thought he was doing a good job. That tells you a lot about the "loyalist" effect in American politics. No matter how bad it gets, there is always a segment of the population that will stick by the person in the Big Chair.
The Carter "Misery" Era
Jimmy Carter gets a bad rap. He hit 28% in 1979.
The "Misery Index"—a combination of unemployment and inflation—was through the roof. Then you had the Iran Hostage Crisis. Carter felt like a man trapped by circumstances. His "Malaise speech," where he basically told Americans they were having a crisis of confidence, didn't help.
People didn't want a lecture; they wanted cheaper gas.
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How Modern Presidents Compare
Since 2021, we've seen a remarkably tight range for approval ratings. Joe Biden spent much of 2023 and 2024 in the high 30s. Donald Trump, back in office for a second term in 2025, has faced a steady decline from his 47% inauguration high to 36% by December 2025.
Why?
It’s the economy, mostly. Even if the GDP grows—like the 4.3% growth we saw in Q3 of 2025—if people feel like prices are too high at the grocery store, the president takes the hit. It's a "vibecession." The data says the economy is fine, but the approval ratings say people are struggling.
Actionable Insights: What This Means for You
If you're trying to make sense of the news or predict the next election, keep these things in mind:
- Ignore the "Highs": Early-term "honeymoon" periods are almost gone. Don't expect a new president to stay above 50% for long.
- Watch the Independents: In 2025, the partisan split is so wide (often 80+ points) that the only thing that moves the needle is the 30% of the country that identifies as Independent.
- Context is King: A 35% approval rating in a polarized 2026 is arguably "better" than a 35% rating in the 1970s because it represents a solid, unmovable base.
- History is Kind: If you’re a fan of a current unpopular president, take heart. Truman was loathed when he left, and now he’s a hero. Perspective changes everything.
To stay truly informed, don't just look at one poll. Check the RealClearPolitics or FiveThirtyEight aggregates. They smooth out the "outlier" polls that might show a crazy low or high number just to get headlines. Look for the trend line, not the single data point.