A new Pew Research Center survey finds that Americans view both Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg more negatively than positively, with sharp partisan divides over Musk and broad bipartisan skepticism toward Zuckerberg.
The survey, conducted from January 27 to February 2, 2025, shows that 54% of U.S. adults have an unfavorable opinion of Musk, while 42% view him favorably. Zuckerberg fares worse, with 66% of Americans viewing him unfavorably, compared to just 25% who see him positively.
Musk, who leads Tesla and X (formerly Twitter), has become even more politically polarizing in recent months due to his role in President Donald Trump’s administration as head of the Department of Government Efficiency. Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, has drawn bipartisan criticism, particularly for his decision to end fact-checking on Facebook and Instagram.
Stark partisan divide over Musk
Musk’s favorability is deeply split along party lines. Among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, 73% view him favorably, including 84% of conservative Republicans. Meanwhile, only 12% of Democrats and Democratic leaners have a favorable opinion of Musk, while 85% hold an unfavorable view.
By contrast, Zuckerberg is widely disliked across party lines. Majorities of both Republicans (60%) and Democrats (76%) have an unfavorable view of him, with liberal Democrats being the most critical at 87%.
Younger adults more critical of Musk and Zuckerberg
Age plays a role in public perception as well. Younger Americans, particularly those under 30, are the most critical of both tech leaders.
- 67% of adults under 30 hold an unfavorable view of Musk, compared to 53% of those ages 30-49 and 49% of those 50 and older.
- 70% of adults under 30 and 72% of those ages 30-49 view Zuckerberg negatively, compared to 62% of those 50 and older.
Among young Republicans, opinions of Musk are notably split. Nearly half (47%) of Republicans under 30 hold an unfavorable view of him, compared to just 23% of those ages 30-49 and 16% of Republicans 50 and older. Among Democrats, Musk’s favorability remains consistently low across all age groups.
With few Americans unfamiliar with Musk (3%) or Zuckerberg (6%), the survey highlights the strong opinions Americans hold about two of the tech industry’s most prominent figures—opinions that continue to be shaped by politics, policy, and generational divides.
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