Pope Leo XIV tops a new Gallup poll on world leaders, appealing to U.S. residents broadly in a politically divided – and divisive – nation.
The poll, conducted by telephone July 7-21 with 1,002 adults throughout the country, found that 57 percent of respondents viewed Pope Leo favorably, and 31 percent having no opinion.
In addition, said Gallup, Pope Leo is viewed more favorably across party lines, “unlike the political figures measured in the latest poll.”
At the same time, Gallup noted that, “consistent with the ideological differences in his ratings, he is liked better by Democrats than Republicans.”
The Gallup poll was the first time it rated the U.S.-born pope since his May 8 election. Pope Leo marks his first 100 days in the papacy Aug. 16.
Respondents gave Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a 52 percent approval rating, with 34 percent disapproving and 14 percent indicating no opinion. Behind him was Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who was viewed positively by 49 percent and negatively by 38 percent, with 14 percent having no opinion.
Most Americans surveyed (57 percent) disapproved of U.S. President Donald Trump, with 41 percent approving and just 2 percent having no opinion. Vice President JD Vance scored a 49 percent disapproval rating, with 38 percent viewing him favorably and 13 percent having no opinion.
Pope Leo also led the rankings according to net favorability – which represents the difference between positive and negative percentage points – at 46 percent.
Gallup noted that “net favorability is most effective for these comparisons because it accounts for large differences in Americans’ familiarity with the various figures.”
Except for Pope Leo, Zelenskyy and Sanders, all of the remaining leaders on the Gallup list had negative net favorability, with French President Emmanuel Macron at -1 percent and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk at -28 percent.
Trump (-16 percent), Secretary of State Marco Rubio (-16 percent), former President Joe Biden (-11 percent) and current Vice President JD Vance (-11 percent) fell between Macron and Musk in the net negative rankings.
Gallup also compared Pope Leo’s rating with those of Pope Francis and Pope Benedict XVI. It noted the new pope’s numbers “closely match” those of his predecessors in the early days of their respective pontificates.
The polling firm clarified that it did not measure U.S. public opinion of Pope Saint John Paul II as favorable or unfavorable until 1993, well after his 1978 election. However, the late pope enjoyed wide popularity among U.S. residents, with anywhere from 61 percent to 86 percent approving in a given poll over the years.
Among U.S. Catholics, Pope Leo (76 percent), Pope Francis (80 percent) and Pope Benedict (67 percent) “earned higher-than-average support in their initial ratings,” said Gallup.
