Trump or DOGE effect? Most Americans now don't like Elon Musk

Elon Musk’s public image has taken a sharp downturn since 2024, with a series of political entanglements and controversies dragging his favorability ratings into negative territory. Once celebrated as a visionary entrepreneur, Musk is now viewed unfavorably by a majority of Americans, according to polling data from Silver Bulletin and others.

As of June 25, Silver Bulletin—a project by statistician Nate Silver—reported Musk’s net favorability at -18.1%, with 55.1% of Americans viewing him unfavorably and just 37% holding a positive opinion. That’s a dramatic shift from early 2024, when opinions on Musk were roughly balanced.

The latest pPolling trends also underline the fallout. As reported by the Newsweek:

• A Morning Consult poll (March 28–30) showed Musk’s unfavorability rose to 54%, up from 45% post-election. Among Democrats, the number spiked from 71% to 83%, and among independents from 48% to 59%.
• Reuters/Ipsos found similar results, with 57% viewing Musk unfavorably and only 39% favorably.
• A Harvard/Harris Poll showed Musk’s net favorability dropped by 10 points in a single month—from a 44–44 split in February to 49% unfavorable and 39% favorable in late March.

Musk’s decline is closely linked to his alignment with the Donald Trump’s administration. He publicly endorsed Trump in the 2024 election and served as a “special government employee” leading the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). However, his involvement with DOGE, which has faced criticism over mass federal layoffs and potential privacy violations, triggered bipartisan backlash.

His growing political profile has also hurt Musk's own EV company, Tesla. The EV company recently reported a 13% drop in Q1 sales, and its stock tumbled over 15% after news of Musk’s departure from DOGE broke.

Meanwhile, speculation about Musk’s political future is also growing. Though he’s teased the idea of starting a centrist third party, many says he lacks political instincts and is unpopular with key voter groups.