Melania Trump has been voted the least popular First Lady in US history

TOPSHOT - US First Lady Melania Trump walks through 453 American flags, each representing a child in foster care in Cabell County, West Virginia, many due to the opioid epidemic, at Ritter Park in Huntington, West Virginia, July 8, 2019. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (

(Image credit: Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images))

It’s official: Melania Trump is the least liked First Lady of the United States in modern history.

The elusive wife of Donald Trump left office on not-so-great terms with the American people if the latest CNN/SSRS poll is anything to go by.

The results revealed that Melania held a 47 percent unfavorable rating and an approval rating of 42 percent, making her the most unpopular First Lady in history. Her final grade stands in stark contrast with the average first lady’s departing approving rating of 71 percent.

This damning legacy doesn't come as a surprise. Melania’s performance as FLOTUS has been heavily criticized since she stepped on stage on that fateful November day in 2016. The Slovakian-born former model, who reportedly cried in despair when her husband won the election, was routinely blasted for her failure to effect any real change as First Lady.

More from Woman&Home:

The First Lady's role has historically been used to address pressing social issues and create long-lasting reform through well-planned initiatives. Many will remember former First Lady Michelle Obama's "Let's Move!" campaign, which targeted childhood obesity.

Obama sought to reduce childhood obesity to 5 percent by 2030 by putting pressure on both private businesses and the government to prioritize children's health in their decision-making.

While Melania also embarked on her own First Lady projects, few had any significant impact. Her anti-bullying campaign "Be Best" was met with a wave of criticism when it launched in May 2018. The campaign's accompanying pamphlet was accused of containing plagiarized material, while the initiative's overall message seemed at odds with her husband's intimidating persona.

Melania received further backlash during a 2018 visit to a Texas border facility, where she met with children of detained parents. The former First Lady sparked outrage with her outfit, which included an olive green jacket scrawled with the words, "I really don't care, do u?" Despite her spokesperson's insistence that it was "just a jacket," critics accused Melania of failing to show sensitivity to a particularly upsetting issue.

It may be of some consolation to Melania that, while she's certainly not adored, she still has a few more supporters than her husband. According to a recent poll by Quinnipiac University, Donald Trump left the White House with a whopping 60 percent disapproval rating, which earns him the grand title as the most disliked U.S. President in modern history.

Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.

Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.