President Hoover had been widely unpopular because he: had a positive attitude about the economic recovery and distributed public funds to common people spent too much money on direct relief measures was reluctant to institute direct relief measures and failed to respond in a timely manner to the emergency of the depression caved into the demands of the Bonus Army and gave them money.

President Hoover's unpopularity mainly stemmed from his reluctance to take strong federal action during the Great Depression. Many believed his approach leaned too heavily on voluntary cooperation from businesses rather than direct government intervention to aid the struggling population. As a result, millions faced desperate conditions without sufficient help from the federal government, causing widespread dissatisfaction. Another key aspect of Hoover's presidency was the public's perception of his responses. While he believed in the idea of self-reliance and that the economy would recover on its own, his hesitancy to provide immediate and substantial relief further fueled frustration. His infamous handling of the Bonus Army protest in 1932, where he ordered the military to disperse veterans seeking their promised bonuses, solidified his image as disconnected from the plight of ordinary Americans.