Presidential approval ratings, the public’s perception of how presidents are doing their jobs, are carefully watched indicators of presidential popularity that began with Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1930s and continue with Donald Trump today.
But in an unexpected announcement Feb. 11, Gallup said it would no longer track presidential approval ratings, ending a high-profile service that started in 1938.
Gallup said it would stop publishing approval and favorability ratings of individual political figures starting this year. The move "reflects an evolution in how Gallup focuses its public research and thought leadership," the company said in a statement to USA TODAY.
George Gallup, a statistician and founder of the American Institute of Public Opinion, sent pollsters across Depression-era America to ask people – Do you approve or disapprove of the way Roosevelt is handling his job as president?
Here's a look at the job approval ratings for presidents since 1945, according to Gallup polling.
