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 conducted a survey asking Americans about their opinions on 14 influential public figures, such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., JD Vance, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Benjamin Netanyahu, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and the country’s own leader, President Donald Trump.
But it was Trump’s former ‘first buddy’ who topped the list as the most disliked, the results revealed.
An overwhelming 61 percent of Americans expressed a negative view of Musk, with only 33 percent having a favorable impression of him. The remaining six percent were undecided.
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 well-known member of Trump’s inner circle, investing nearly $300 million in support of his campaign the previous year and playing a key role when Trump resumed office for another term.
Following this, Musk was appointed to head the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which was created to reduce the federal workforce and lower government expenditure.
Despite their previously close alliance, the relationship quickly soured, resulting in Musk officially losing favor with the White House earlier in the summer, leading to a very public and online dispute with the president.
A new poll has found Elon Musk (pictured) to be the most-hated public figure among a list of prominent American and global personalities
In July, Gallup conducted a survey asking Americans about their opinions on 14 influential public figures, such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., JD Vance, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Donald Trump, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and even Benjamin Netanyahu.
It was Trump’s former ‘first buddy’ who topped the list as the most disliked, the results revealed
Musk’s popularity dipped even lower than that of the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right), who faced a 52 percent unfavorable rating and a net score of -23
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.
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
A total of 38 percent of Americans viewed US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (pictured) with disapproval, while 26 percent had a favorable opinion and 37 percent expressed no opinion – leading to a -12 net favorability rating
Apart from Musk – who overwhelmingly had the worst ranking – US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (pictured) suffered the second largest drop in favorability, plummeting a positive 8 in January to a -16 in July
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
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.
Musk’s 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
Despite Trump labeling him a ‘dictator,’ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (pictured) 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 (pictured), who earned a strong score of 46 – and made history as the first American pope
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
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.
