Elon Musk has officially become the most unpopular public personality in America, according to a new Gallup survey conducted from July 7 to July 21. Among 14 well-known national and international figures, 61% of Americans expressed an unfavorable opinion of the Tesla CEO. Just 33% of respondents held a positive opinion of Musk, with 6% expressing no clear stance.
Over the past year, Musk’s public image has significantly deteriorated.. Once considered a tech visionary, his increasing involvement in politics—particularly his early support of Donald Trump—has drastically altered public perception. He reportedly donated nearly $300 million to help support Trump’s presidential campaign and was briefly tapped as the head of the “Department of Government Efficiency,” a cost-cutting initiative under Trump’s administration.
However, Musk’s alliance with Trump didn’t last. The fallout between the two figures was public and dramatic, ending with Musk’s quiet exit from the political spotlight and no significant accomplishments to show for his stint in government.
The Gallup data shows that Musk’s approval rating has plummeted since January 2025, when he held a modest net favorability score of -4. That number has since fallen sharply to -28—placing him below Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in popularity.
Several other political figures associated with Trump also ranked poorly. Former Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fared the best among them with a net favorability of -5. President Joe Biden and Vice President JD Vance each scored -11, while Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio both hit -16.
Notably, Democratic figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (-4) and Senator Bernie Sanders (11) performed better. However, the most favorably viewed personalities were Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (18) and Pope Leo XIV (46)—the first American to lead the Catholic Church.
Musk’s political missteps have also had consequences for his companies. In the second quarter of 2025, Tesla experienced a 16% decrease in net earnings and a 12% reduction in overall revenue. A recent study from Williams College even suggests that Musk’s tarnished image may be discouraging consumers from purchasing electric vehicles across the board—not just Teslas.
His polarizing involvement in MAGA politics, followed by a very public rift with Trump, appears to have alienated both sides of the political aisle. Gallup’s poll shows Musk has a staggering -86 net favorability among Democrats, contributing heavily to his overall negative score.
