The Most and Least Popular Trump Cabinet Picks

President Trump is already sporting his highest job approval and favorability ratings of all time. His current popularity is partly due to his cabinet choices, most of which have been well-received, though a few have sparked controversy.

Most Popular Nominees

The cabinet pick with the most approval by far is former Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state. On Monday, shortly after Trump was inaugurated, the Senate confirmed him as secretary of state with a vote of 99-0. In the latest Economist/YouGov poll taken from Jan. 19-21, he boasted a +16% approval rating, with 48% approval and only 32% disapproval. Even among Democrats, 27% approved of Rubio as secretary of state.

After Rubio, the Economist found that Pam Bondi, nominated as U.S. attorney general, had the highest net approval at +8%, with 40% approval and 32% disapproval. Bondi, who served as a defense lawyer for Trump’s first impeachment trial and before that as Florida attorney general, is expected to be confirmed in the coming weeks.

The other high-profile and popular pick is former 2024 third-party presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who garnered +6% net approval, with 46% approval and 40% disapproval. Unlike Bondi, his confirmation is not yet guaranteed, as he will face multiple confirmation hearings with different Senate committees this week.

Least Popular Nominees

Perhaps the most controversial of the cabinet picks was the nominee for attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz. In an AtlasIntel poll taken from Jan. 21-23, only 26% said they had a positive opinion of the former nominee. However, he is no longer being considered. Shortly after being announced as the nominee and leaving the House in November, he withdrew his name from consideration for attorney general. He has since started a weeknight political talk show.

The man who has stolen the show in the confirmation hearings is Pete Hegseth, Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense. During last week's confirmation hearings, discussions centered on Hegseth's past infidelity, drinking habits, and controversial remarks about women in the military, including his past statements in interviews asserting that they should not serve in combat roles.

However, in the hearings, he pushed back against this criticism, emphasizing his belief that women have made significant positive contributions to the military: “Women in our military, as I have said publicly, have and continue to make amazing contributions across all aspects of our battlefield.” In the Economist poll, he had only slightly positive approval, with 39% approving and 37% disapproving of him as secretary of defense. 

On Friday, his confirmation vote for secretary of defense was also closely contested. Three Republican senators opposed him, resulting in a 50-50 tie in the Senate. Due to the tie, Vice President J.D. Vance cast the deciding vote, securing Hegseth’s confirmation.

Former Pennsylvania Senate candidate and television show host Mehmet Oz, nominated as administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, also only had 38% approval with 37% disapproval in the poll. Despite reservations about him from some in the public, even his opponent in the 2022 Senate race, John Fetterman, voiced support for his appointment, posting on X, “If Dr. Oz is about protecting and preserving Medicare and Medicaid, I’m voting for the dude.”

Overall, more people support Trump’s Cabinet nominations than disapprove, according to the poll, with 42% approving and 40% disapproving.