Latest news with #unfavorable
Yahoo
09-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Elon Musk is the least popular public figure in America
Elon Musk is the least popular public figure in America, according to a new study. Pollster Gallup found that out of a list of 14 prominent figures, the tech billionaire came dead last, ranked just below Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been accused of crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court. Gallup asked 1,000 random American adults between July 7 and July 21 what they thought of the figures, with 61 percent of respondents having an unfavorable opinion of the Tesla boss. Others on the list included Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, Joe Biden and Pope Leo XIV. Though the overwhelming majority had negative reactions towards him, 33 percent of respondents to the survey said they liked Musk, and six percent said they had no opinion on him at all. The world's richest man's fall from grace has been a speedy one, having enjoyed the self-proclaimed status of 'First Buddy' to Donald Trump – currying favor with the president and his stalwart MAGA base and leading controversial efforts by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to slash spending. Gallup put his 'net favorability rate' at -4 at the beginning of the year. However, following an explosive fallout between the pair in early June, in which they traded blows from their respective social media platforms, Musk was ousted from Trump's inner circle – with the president even suggesting that the South African-born businessman 'go back where he came from.' Gallup now puts his 'net favorability rate' at -28. Trump's lack of faith and endorsement have also mirrored that of Tesla's stocks, which have been in steady decline. The electric vehicle manufacturer last month posted a 16 percent drop in net income for the second quarter of 2025 and a 12 percent fall in revenue for the same period. Musk and his reputation have even managed to turn people off EVs in general, according to a study by Williams College. While Trump's favorability was better than his former bestie's, the president still sits at 'net favorability' of -16; 57 percent of respondents hold a negative view of the president and 41 hold a positive one. Only two percent had no opinion. Several members of the president's close circle are viewed more positively, including vice president JD Vance, Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, and even Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Netanyahu and Rubio occupy the second and third lowest spots on the poll, with -23 and -26 'net favorability' respectively. The Independent has reached out to Tesla for comment on the poor favorability of its head honcho. Solve the daily Crossword
Daily Mail
06-08-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Poll reveals most-hated figure in America... and it will make Donald Trump smile
A new poll has found Elon Musk to be the most-hated public figure among a list of prominent American and global personalities. In July, Gallup surveyed Americans on their views of 14 powerful public figures, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., JD Vance, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Benjamin Netanyahu, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the country's own Commander-In-Chief, President Donald Trump. But it was Trump's former 'first buddy' who topped the list as the most disliked, the results revealed. A staggering 61 percent of Americans reported an unfavorable view of Musk, while just 33 percent saw him in a positive light. Six percent had no opinion at all. His popularity dipped even lower than that of the Israeli Prime Minister, who faced a 52 percent unfavorable rating and a net score of -23. The billionaire became a familiar figure in Trump's inner circle, spending nearly $300 million to support his campaign last year and maintaining a distinguished role once Trump returned to the White House for a second term. Musk was then appointed to lead the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), tasked with downsizing the federal workforce and cutting government spending. However, their once-cozy relationship quickly unraveled, with Musk officially falling out of favor at the White House earlier this summer and becoming embroiled in a very public, online fallout with the president. In July, Gallup surveyed Americans on their views of 14 powerful public figures, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr ., JD Vance, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Donald Trump, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and even Benjamin Netanyahu Following his fall from grace, the Tesla CEO reportedly lost over $34 billion of his personal net worth - all while his reputation took an even steeper dive. His rapid descent was clear in Gallup's recent poll, which showed Musk's favorability rating plunging from -4 in January to -28 now - a decline even steeper than Tesla's sales drop. But his public image began to suffer once he joined the Trump administration, dove into controversial MAGA politics and alienated Democrats - resulting in an extremely low net favorability rating of -86. Musk later alienated many of Trump's supporters by openly criticizing the former president, sparking outrage within Trump's base. The conflict spiraled into a chaotic fallout, climaxing with Musk's startling claim that Trump's name appears in the Epstein files - dealing a severe blow to his relationships and reputation while also fueling American's distrust in the administration. July's damning poll revealed the lingering skepticism toward the current administration, as multiple figures in Trump's circle also posted negative net favorability ratings. Vice President JD Vance saw his unfavorable rating rise from 40 percent in January to 49 percent, resulting in a drop to a -11 net favorability rating. Former President Joe Biden received a -11 favorability rating, with 54 percent of respondents expressing dissatisfaction. However, his favorability has improved slightly to 43 percent, up from 39 percent in January. A total of 38 percent of Americans viewed US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth with disapproval, while 26 percent had a favorable opinion and 37 percent expressed no opinion - leading to a -12 net favorability rating. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had the best score within Trump's circle, posting a -5 rating that put him slightly ahead of Biden and Vance. Apart from Musk - who overwhelmingly had the worst ranking - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio suffered the second largest drop in favorability. Once widely favored, Rubio now faces increasing criticism as he heads the State Department and National Security Council, while playing a central role in dismantling the USAID program. Rubio's rating plummeted from a positive 8 in January to a negative 16 in July -perfectly matching Trump - with 47 percent of respondents viewing him unfavorably. All figures within Trump's inner circle had lower favorability ratings than Democratic politicians like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who held a -4 rating, and Bernie Sanders, who scored an 11. But even AOC and Sanders, who are relatively popular, were outperformed in favorability by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Despite Trump labeling him a 'dictator,' Zelenskyy earned a favorability rating of 18, with 52 percent of respondents viewing him positively and only 34 percent expressing a negative opinion. The highest favorability rating went to Pope Leo XIV, who earned a strong score of 46 - and made history as the first American pope. His numbers closely mirrored the warm reception Pope Francis received when he took the papacy in 2013, earning a 58 percent favorability rating and just 10 percent unfavorable. Nevertheless, Musk's companies - much like his public image - have also taken a hit, with Tesla reporting a 16 percent drop in net income and a 12 percent decline in revenue in the second quarter of 2025. A study by Williams College found that Musk's polarizing persona has soured some Americans on electric vehicles altogether - not just Teslas - suggesting his unfavorable influence may be hurting the entire EV industry.
