Politics
NEW: Most Popular Trump Cabinet Official Is Revealed
President Donald Trump’s tariff wars are turning the fortunes of a top cabinet official who is now viewed more positively among Americans than any of his peers.
By a large margin, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent sits highest in recent polls about whom Americans trust to advise the president amid a fluctuating stock market and temporary tariffs on dozens of countries around the globe.
Polling by J.L. Partners found that Bessent enjoys a +14 net approval rating among the general public, far above Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who sits in second place at +8 as head of U.S. Health and Human Services. Rounding out the top three is Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, also tied at +8.
Bessent, the first gay Senate-confirmed cabinet secretary in a Republican administration, was an unusual choice for President Trump given his establishment ties to Wall Street but who has since become a sounding board for finance executives unnerved by the administration’s tariffs. He played a key role in convincing Trump that the tariffs had their intended effect in a single week and bartered for their reduction to 10% in most cases in exchange for a 90-day pause to negotiate deals with more than 70 countries.
His presence in the Oval Office has placated some of Trump’s unsteadiest supporters like Bill Ackman, the billionaire hedge fund manager who publicly pleaded with Trump last week to drop the tariffs while claiming they were “not what Americans voted for.” Shortly after they were repealed, Ackman, who relied on Bessent for intelligence about Trump’s thinking, quickly changed his tune.
“This was brilliantly executed by [Trump]. Textbook, Art of the Deal,” he wrote on X.
Behind the top three are Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who each sit at +7. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth remains 6 points ahead with Americans, and cost-cutting advisor Musk is viewed unfavorably by a majority.
The poll of 1,019 voters offers a first glimpse into the enduring popularity of President Trump and the bipartisan team of cabinet officials around him. Despite the shifting economic uncertainties, Americans have largely expressed approval of Trump’s job performance, especially when it comes to cutting waste, fraud, and abuse from the federal government.
Only recently has the president’s approval rating flipped, falling from a high of 56% favorable to 51% unfavorable, according to YouGov. The elimination of tariffs since last week improved his position; then, only 46% of Americans viewed him favorably.
Keeping Americans focused on his immigration policies may be the winningest strategy for President Trump. Support for his mass deportation policies has remained virtually unchanged, from 51% approval and 44% disapproval two weeks ago to 50% – 44% approval now.
His greatest hurdle on tariffs will be convincing the 56% of independents who expressed displeasure about the new policy. It will fall on Bessent, a Yale-educated economist, to explain why the president’s trade policies will result in positive outcomes over the long run.
