A recent CNN/SSRS poll reveals that First Lady Melania Trump has the lowest favorability rating ever recorded for a modern first lady at this point in a presidency, with a net rating of -12. This marks a significant decline from her +3 rating in January 2025 and a +30 rating in May 2018. The poll results were released before her White House address denying any connections to disgraced sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, which were unrelated to the polling data.
CNN senior data analyst Harry Enten described the numbers as "absolutely awful," noting that no other first lady in the modern polling era has posted comparable numbers this far into a term. The data contrasts sharply with other first ladies, including Nancy Reagan (+50), Hillary Clinton (+25), Laura Bush (+46), and Michelle Obama (+42) at similar points in their husbands’ presidencies. Even Jill Biden, measured during a first term, outperformed Melania with a positive approval rating.
The decline in Melania’s favorability comes amid broader public discontent with the Trump administration. The White House had promoted a documentary about her, titled "Melania," which received a 10% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics described the film as "shallow" and "sycophantic." The administration spent heavily on its promotion, with Amazon reportedly investing $75 million in the project.
The poll also highlights a reversal in Melania’s public image, which was once significantly higher during her husband’s first term. Enten noted that her rating was roughly 30 points above water in 2018 before narrowing to just slightly positive and eventually sinking into negative territory.
The data suggests a broader disconnect between Melania and the American public, reviving controversies such as her 2018 visit to a migrant detention facility wearing a jacket that read: "I Really Don’t Care, Do U?" Enten emphasized that the poll results reflect a lack of public support for the first lady.