Snapshot: Pompeo Draws Mixed Opinions From Americans

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Mike Pompeo took over from Rex Tillerson as U.S. secretary of state in late April, and Gallup's first measure of Pompeo finds Americans holding mixed views. Slightly more than a third, 35%, view Pompeo favorably, 38% view him unfavorably and 27% have no opinion. These views of Pompeo are broadly the same as Americans' views of Tillerson measured in February 2017. Republicans have held largely positive views of both Pompeo and Tillerson; independents' views are more mixed; and Democrats have held negative views of both.

	Favorable	Unfavorable	No opinion
	%	%	%
Mike Pompeo (August 2018)
All Americans	35	38	27
Republicans	63	14	22
Independents	31	41	29
Democrats	15	59	26
Rex Tillerson (February 2017)
All Americans	36	33	30
Republicans	71	5	25
Independents	27	35	39
Democrats	15	59	26
* Percentages may not add up to 100% because of rounding
Gallup

Gallup asked Americans about Pompeo in a survey conducted from Aug. 1-12, as the U.S. faced increasing uncertainty in foreign relations on several fronts, including reports that North Korea is failing to live up to commitments on denuclearization and an escalating trade war with China.

Pompeo and Tillerson rated less favorably than other recent secretaries of state. Other secretaries of state have received substantially higher favorability ratings when Gallup first assessed them in that role (although many, including John Kerry, Hillary Clinton and Colin Powell had been prominent public figures before becoming secretary of state). While majorities viewed Powell, Condoleezza Rice and Clinton favorably, Powell's 85% favorability is the highest initial reading among all secretaries of state. In fact, Powell, the Persian Gulf War hero, registered some of the highest favorability ratings in Gallup history.

	Favorable	Unfavorable	No opinion
	%	%	%
Mike Pompeo (August 2018)	35	38	27
Rex Tillerson (February 2017)	36	33	30
John Kerry (April 2013)	44	35	21
Hillary Clinton (October 2009)	62	34	3
Condoleezza Rice (February 2005)	59	27	14
Colin Powell (April 2002)	85	9	6
Madeleine Albright (February 1998)	62	15	23
Warren Christopher (July 1993)	39	14	47
* Percentages may not add up to 100% because of rounding
Gallup

Pompeo less favorable among Republicans than Tillerson. Pompeo's favorable rating among Republicans is also substantially lower than the initial ratings of the other two recent secretaries of state under Republican administrations, Rice and Powell.

	Republicans	Independents	Democrats
	%	%	%
Mike Pompeo (August 2018)	63	31	15
Rex Tillerson (February 2017)	71	27	15
John Kerry (April 2013)	27	38	66
Hillary Clinton (October 2009)	35	55	91
Condoleezza Rice (February 2005)	81	52	37
Colin Powell (April 2002)	94	84	77
Madeleine Albright (February 1998)	57	54	71
Warren Christopher (July 1993)	43	25	23
Gallup

Secretaries of state are typically rated substantially lower by members of the opposing political party, and Pompeo is no exception. Fifteen percent of Democrats rate Pompeo favorably -- the same as Tillerson's rating. This is also lower than Republicans' initial favorability ratings for recent Democratic secretaries of state, Kerry and Clinton. These highly differentiated partisan views of Pompeo (and Tillerson) reflect today's generally more polarized political environment in which the gap between Republicans' and Democrats' views of the president is the highest in Gallup polling history.

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