WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Harry Truman registered a 22% job approval rating in a Feb. 9-14, 1952, Gallup poll. This occurred late in his second term, as the U.S. was dealing with an economic slowdown, a prolonged military engagement in the Korean War, labor strife and federal government corruption.
Truman had several sub-30% approval ratings in 1951 and 1952. He ended his presidency averaging 45.4% job approval throughout his time in office, the lowest average for any post-World War II president to date.
In the February 1952 survey, 64% of Americans disapproved of Truman and 14% had no opinion. Truman did have a higher disapproval rating, 67%, in a Jan. 6-11, 1952, poll. Neither disapproval rating, however, is the highest in Gallup's polling history.
George W. Bush received a 71% disapproval rating (and 25% approval rating) in October 2008, during the financial crisis and shortly after the federal government approved a bailout of major U.S. financial corporations.
Both Bush and Truman are notable for having historically high approval ratings at certain points in their presidencies -- Bush after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and Truman after taking office upon Franklin Roosevelt's death -- as well as historically low ones.
Gallup measures presidential job approval on each survey it conducts.
Explore President Joe Biden's approval ratings and compare them with those of past presidents in the Gallup Presidential Job Approval Center.
