A study by the Pew Research Center found that Americans’ views of Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg skew more negative than positive.
While Zuckerberg has sparked chatter in Silicon Valley with his sudden interest in high fashion, the Meta CEO is less popular than President Trump’s right-hand man, Elon Musk, the report found. While about 54% of U.S. adults say they have an unfavorable view of Musk, 67% feel negatively toward Zuckerberg.
The two tech executives have come under increased scrutiny since the start of President Trump’s second term; both sat alongside the president at his inauguration and made donations to his inauguration fund. While Zuckerberg has upended long-standing Meta content moderation policies to limit fact-checking and action against hate speech, Musk has played a key role in Trump’s camp thus far.
Throughout the first month of Trump’s presidency, Musk has directly involved himself in the U.S. government operations, using his political connections to gut government departments like USAID, which provides humanitarian aid around the world. Musk’s DOGE meanwhile on Monday overstated the impact of its budget cuts by billions of dollars.
Given Musk’s affiliation with Trump, it follows that along party lines, 85% of respondents who are Democrats or who lean Democratic held unfavorable views of the Tesla CEO. Meanwhile, 73% of Republican or Republican-aligned respondents felt favorably toward Musk.
But Zuckerberg, the Facebook founder, is more universally disliked, though he draws more ire from the left-leaning demographic. While 60% of Republican and Republican-leaning respondents hold an unfavorable view of Zuckerberg, 76% of their Democratic counterparts share that sentiment.
So, while Zuck may be playing the part of the cool guy, Americans haven’t been fooled by his gold chains or musical ambitions, it seems.
Disrupt 2026: The tech ecosystem, all in one room
Your next round. Your next hire. Your next breakout opportunity. Find it at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, where 10,000+ founders, investors, and tech leaders gather for three days of 250+ tactical sessions, powerful introductions, and market-defining innovation. Register now to save up to $400.
Save up to $300 or 30% to TechCrunch Founder Summit
1,000+ founders and investors come together at TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 for a full day focused on growth, execution, and real-world scaling. Learn from founders and investors who have shaped the industry. Connect with peers navigating similar growth stages. Walk away with tactics you can apply immediately
Offer ends March 13.
Pew’s study involved a panel of 5,086 randomly selected U.S. adults. The survey was conducted from January 27, 2025, through February 2, 2025, so these responses reflect people’s recent opinions.
