In just four days, President Obama will officially leave the White House as Donald Trump becomes the new commander in chief. With Obama ending his second term as president, he will leave with a historically high approval rating, much to the chagrin of the president-elect.

Obama era ends

When President Obama came into office in January 2009, he entered the White House with an approval rating of 78 percent. Over the next eight years, Obama's favorable rating from Americans would drop, as is the usual case, going as far down as the mid 40s in approval.

However, with the 2016 presidential election providing the American people two candidates, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, that were both viewed in a negative light by the majority of the country, Obama saw his own favorable rating increase. According to a recently release Gallup poll, reported by The Hill on January 16, the current president his ending his time as commander in chief on a high note.

In the aforementioned Gallup poll, Obama will conclude his presidency with a 58 percent approval rating. Obama's exit rating is the highest of any outgoing president since 1992 and former President George H.W.

Bush, who left office with a 62 percent favorable rating. Former President Bill Clinton ended his tenure as president in 2001 with a 57 percent approval rating, slightly lower than Obama. When comparing Obama's numbers to former President George W. Bush, who exited the White House during the start of the Great Recession, the gap is wide, with only 40 percent of Americans approving.

Trump's drop

Another historic number from the Gallup poll is the favorability rating of incoming president Donald Trump. Only 40 percent of those polled by Gallup give Trump positive remarks, compared to 55 percent who view the billionaire real estate mogul in a negative light. Five percent said they had no opinion. With a 40 percent incoming favorability rating, Trump now equals the marks given to George W.

Bush when he left the White House in January 2009. According to the latest Quinnipiac University poll released earlier this week, Trump's favorability rating is even lower, sitting at only 37 percent.

Moving forward

Despite the low numbers and growing backlash against him and his administration, Donald Trump is now just four days away from being sworn into office as the 45th President of the United States. While the former host of "The Apprentice" is getting ready to celebrate, over 100,000 protesters are expected to be on hand to voice their opposition.
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