Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is registering higher favorability than several top officials in President Donald Trump’s administration, according to new national polling that comes as tensions simmer between the White House, the Justice Department, and the central bank.
An Emerson College Polling survey of likely voters shows Powell with a net positive favorability of 18 points. Forty-five percent of respondents view the Fed chair favorably, while 27 percent hold an unfavorable opinion. The numbers place Powell ahead of a slate of high-profile Trump administration figures tested in the same poll.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is narrowly in positive territory, with 43 percent of voters viewing him favorably compared with 41 percent unfavorably. Other administration officials fared worse. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted the lowest net favorability scores among the seven officials included, coming in at negative 7 points and negative 6 points, respectively.
Vice President JD Vance drew mixed reactions from voters. Forty-two percent said they view him favorably, while 46 percent reported an unfavorable impression. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recorded the lowest favorable rating in the survey, with 36 percent viewing him positively. However, only 35 percent viewed him unfavorably, and a sizable 29 percent said they were unsure, suggesting his public profile is still taking shape.
The polling arrives amid President Trump’s ongoing confrontation with Powell and a Justice Department criminal investigation involving the Federal Reserve. Earlier this month, Powell responded publicly after the DOJ served the Fed with grand jury subpoenas and raised the possibility of indicting him over testimony he delivered last year.
In his statement, Powell said he has deep respect for the rule of law and accountability in a democratic system, emphasizing that no one, including the chair of the Federal Reserve, is above the law. At the same time, he described the investigation as unprecedented and argued it should be viewed in the broader context of what he characterized as pressure and threats from the administration.
While Powell has drawn sympathy from some quarters, other Trump officials are facing intense scrutiny of their own. Noem, in particular, has become a lightning rod as the administration ramps up its immigration enforcement efforts. Over the weekend, she highlighted thousands of arrests in Minnesota as part of the crackdown.
Those arrests came amid heightened tensions after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer fatally shot Minnesota resident Renee Good, an incident that reignited protests nationwide. The controversy has fueled criticism from Democrats, and last week Rep. Robin Kelly of Illinois introduced articles of impeachment against Noem, citing her handling of immigration policy.
Despite the mixed reviews of his cabinet, President Trump’s own job approval rating has shown a modest uptick. The poll found Trump’s approval remains underwater by roughly eight points, but his numbers improved slightly compared with last month. Forty-three percent of respondents approved of his performance, up from 41 percent in December.
The Emerson College Polling survey was conducted between Jan. 17 and Jan. 19 among 1,000 likely voters nationwide. The results carry a credibility interval of plus or minus three percentage points.
The findings highlight the political crosscurrents facing the administration, as unelected figures like Powell currently enjoy stronger public standing than some of Trump’s most visible appointees, even as policy battles and investigations continue to dominate Washington.