Only two members of the Trump administration’s senior leadership are viewed favorably by the public, according to a new Economist / YouGov poll.
Within the Trump cabinet, only Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and Attorney General Pam Bondi got favorable ratings, each with a single percentage point differential between positive and negative views among respondents, according to the research.
Both officials are less well-known to the public than other figures in the administration, but they are certainly influential.
Leavitt has been the face of controversial administration moves in the briefing room, defending the White House’s decision to unilaterally claim that the Gulf of Mexico is named the Gulf of America while punishing AP journalists who use the globally recognized original name, as well as fending off continued questions seeking more transparency about Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) spending cuts campaign.
Bondi, meanwhile, is the tip of the spear on the administration’s efforts to go after on diversity programs, sanctuary cities, and investigate alleged anti-Christian and antisemitism.
On the other end of the spectrum, Vice President JD Vance and White House DOGE adviser Musk were seen least favorably, with 6 and 7 percent negative balances, according to the poll.
Among respondents, 42 percent, the largest bloc, said DOGE had gone too far, while roughly half as many people said the effort was about right.
On other Trump policy areas, the White House got positive marks for its agenda on LGBTQ+ issues, the economy and immigration, while double-digit majorities of respondents don’t support its plans on diversity, health care, and government funding.
Public support has been mixed so far for the new administration.
A CNN and SSRS poll earlier this month found that 55 percent of respondents thought the administration is ignoring the country’s largest issues, while polling at the beginning of this month showed Trump had a 53 approval rating, among the highest he’s ever received.
Trump’s public support could be impacted by planned tariffs against Canada and Mexico that will take effect on March 4, which economists suggest could raise consumer prices and impact the supply chain of major U.S. industries including consumer electronics, energy, and auto manufacturing.
