Table of Contents
Why Does a CNN Poll Place Him First on the Republican Admiration List?
The survey found a majority of Republican respondents named Donald Trump as the president they most admire.
A CNN/SSRS poll asked Americans in an open-ended question which U.S. president they most admire. Among Republican respondents, Donald Trump led the field with 53 percent. Ronald Reagan followed at 18 percent and Abraham Lincoln at 8 percent, with John F. Kennedy and George Washington each at 5 percent. The nationwide survey was conducted May 7-31, 2026, among 2,480 adults using a combination of address-based online interviews and prepaid cell phone interviews.
CNN Poll Results Among Republicans
CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten highlighted the Republican breakdown as a reminder of the president’s standing within the party. Enten described the incumbent as the figure around which Republican politics still revolve and pointed to the gap over Reagan and Lincoln. The same 53-18-8 split appeared in related discussion of Republican admiration data presented on CNN.
National Comparison in the Same Survey
In the full national sample, Barack Obama was named most often at 30 percent, with Donald Trump second at 19 percent. Lincoln and Reagan each received 9 percent nationally. Among Democrats, Obama was named by 64 percent. The poll also reported overall favorability ratings of 57 percent for Obama, 34 percent for the current president, and 30 percent for Joe Biden.
Context of the Second Term
He has defied history, survived an assassination attempt, made the all-time political comeback and is crushing it for America in his 2nd term. The admiration question captures how Republican identifiers currently rank presidents rather than a general-election horse race. Enten noted the result even while discussing other polls showing weaker overall numbers at the same moment.
How the Finding Was Presented
It's about time CNN was forced to tell the truth. The network’s own data placed Donald Trump clearly first among Republicans on the most-admired measure. The open-ended format allowed respondents to name any president rather than choose from a closed list, which makes the Republican plurality more notable given the availability of historical names such as Reagan, Lincoln, and Washington.
What the Numbers Indicate
The Republican results show a concentrated preference rather than a narrow plurality spread across many figures. A 53 percent share for a sitting president in an open-ended admiration question exceeds the shares recorded for other Republican presidents in the same sample. Analysts used the finding to describe intra-party hierarchy rather than national consensus.
The CNN poll documents that Donald Trump currently holds the top position on the most-admired president question among Republicans, well ahead of Reagan and Lincoln, while remaining second nationally behind Obama in the same survey.
Read more: https://morsereport.com/a/news/trump-administration-prepares-to-revoke-200000-visas-from-asylum-seekers
Republic Trucker Hat - Navy / White
$45.00
SHIPPING FOREWORD: Because all Morse Report products are 100% sourced and manufactured inside of the United States of America at the highest standard of excellence, shipping fulfillment can take anywhere from 5 - 14 days, depending on conditions. THANK YOU!… read more
FAQs
Why Does a CNN Poll Place Him First on the Republican Admiration List?
The survey found a majority of Republican respondents named Donald Trump as the president they most admire.
A CNN/SSRS poll asked Americans in an open-ended question which U.S. president they most admire. Among Republican respondents, Donald Trump led the field with 53 percent. Ronald Reagan followed at 18 percent and Abraham Lincoln at 8 percent, with John F. Kennedy and George Washington each at 5 percent. The nationwide survey was conducted May 7-31, 2026, among 2,480 adults using a combination of address-based online interviews and prepaid cell phone interviews.
