Polls Explode! Trump Reaches His Peak, and America’s Loving Every Second of It!

Three months into his second term, President Donald Trump has hit a historic milestone. His approval rating has reached its highest point yet as commander-in-chief. More Americans now believe the country is on the right track than at any time since 2004, according to a new NBC News poll.

That’s the good news.

The bad news? Trump still hasn’t won over a majority. While 47% of voters approve of his performance, 51% disapprove. And for the first time in NBC’s polling, a majority—54%—express dissatisfaction with his handling of the economy.

Even so, the survey suggests voters see Trump as a force for change. When asked if he is delivering “the right kind of change” on major issues, many agreed—including on trade policy. NBC found that 41% support his tariff decisions, compared to 38% who oppose them.

This comes despite recent turmoil in the stock market, which reacted to Trump’s decision to impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, along with a 20% levy on Chinese goods.

On immigration, Trump’s policies are even more popular. A strong majority—56%—say his approach to border security is a positive shift. His spending cuts are also favored by 47%, with just 29% against them.

Even in areas where he’s faced strong opposition, Trump is holding firm. His handling of the Ukraine war and NATO has been widely criticized, yet 41% approve of his actions, while 40% disapprove—virtually a tie.

On inflation, Americans appear to be giving him some leeway. While 30% believe his policies are making things worse, 40% say they are having a positive impact. Another 28% say his actions haven’t changed much at all.

Trump remains a deeply polarizing figure. Among Republicans, his approval rating is a staggering 90%. Among Democrats? Just 4%. According to NBC, that’s the largest partisan divide in presidential approval in at least 80 years.

The poll also marks a historic moment for Trump. His 47% approval rating ties his previous best from early 2020—just before the pandemic—and from October 2018.

NBC’s numbers align with other major surveys. The RealClearPolitics average places Trump’s approval at 48.2%, a notable increase from where he stood at this point in his first term (44%). However, it remains below where Joe Biden was at the same stage of his presidency (53%).

One major boost for Trump? A growing sense of optimism about the country’s future. NBC reports that 44% of voters now believe the nation is heading in the right direction—a 20-year high. While a majority (54%) still feel things are off track, this marks a dramatic shift from last September when only 28% were optimistic.

A significant move in Trump’s second term has been the creation of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). While controversial, with 47% viewing it negatively and 41% positively, voters lean toward believing it was a good idea (46% in favor, 40% against). The initiative has sparked protests from government employees and fierce criticism from Democrats, but Trump remains unwavering in his support.

He has also stood by Elon Musk, who has been instrumental in cost-cutting measures linked to DOGE. The goal? Reduce waste and shrink the federal deficit.

Meanwhile, Democrats are facing a crisis of their own. NBC reports that just 27% of Americans hold a favorable view of the party, while 55% see it negatively. That’s the lowest favorability rating for Democrats in the history of NBC’s polling.

A separate CNN poll confirms the trend, giving Democrats an all-time low 29% favorability rating.

Media coverage of Trump is another battleground. The NBC poll found that 46% of voters believe the press has been too harsh on him. Only 25% say the media is too supportive, while 24% approve of its approach.

The NBC News survey polled 1,000 registered voters from March 7 to 11, with a margin of error of ±3.1 percentage points.