WASHINGTON (June 18, 2026) – A new CNN poll finds that former President Barack Obama remains the most favorably viewed living U.S. president, with 57% of Americans expressing a positive opinion of him. By comparison, President Donald Trump received a 34% favorable rating, while former President Joe Biden's favorability stood at 30%. The poll highlights how public perceptions of recent presidents continue to evolve after they leave office and underscores the lasting influence former presidents can have on the national political landscape.
Experts at George Washington University are available to provide context and analysis on the poll. To speak with an expert, please contact Skyler Sales at skylers
gwu [dot] edu (skylers[at]gwu[dot]edu).
Political History
Matt Dallek is a professor at the George Washington University School of Political Management. Professor Dallek is a political historian whose intellectual interests include the intersection of social crises and political transformation, the evolution of the modern conservative movement, and liberalism and its critics.
Presidential History
Timothy Shenk is an assistant professor at the George Washington University Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. Professor Shenk is a historian of modern American politics. His latest book, Left Adrift: What Happened to Liberal Politics, explores the remaking of left-wing electoral coalitions since the 1960s and was named one of the best books of 2024 by the New Republic. His previous book, Realigners: Partisan Hacks, Political Visionaries, and the Struggle to Rule American Democracy, chronicles the rise and fall of the country’s dominant political majorities from the founding to the present. It was chosen as one of the best political books of 2022 by the Wall Street Journal.
-GW-