Donald Trump faces 54% disapproval on economic handling, but Republicans say ‘nation is moving in right path’ | 5 points

Voters are beginning 2025 with a negative view of the economy and US President Donald Trump’s handling of it so far, according to a new NBC News poll. According to a report by NBC News, Republicans are strongly backing Trump and the ambitious agenda he and congressional leaders are pushing in Washington. 

Here are the top five key paths:

1. As a result, more registered voters believe the “US is moving in the right direction than at any point since early 2004”, although a majority still think the country is off track, said the report.

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2. Trump’s approval rating has reached its highest point as president (47%), although more people (51%) disapprove of his performance, according to the report. Driven in part by a negative shift in sentiment among Democrats since Trump’s election, only 18% of voters rate the economy as "excellent" or “good.”

3. Majorities of voters disapprove of Trump's early handling of the economy (54% disapprove, 44% approve) and his management of inflation and the cost of living (55% disapprove, 42% approve), the report stated.

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4. Voters slightly disapprove of Trump’s overall job performance, but the gap is smaller than it has been at almost any point during his first term, NBS News reported. His personal approval ratings and the percentage of Republicans identifying with the MAGA movement have increased, reflecting the unity within his party and giving him considerable influence in a GOP-controlled Washington. In contrast to his first term, the public has become more supportive of his deportation-focused immigration policies, though voters remain cautious about his handling of other issues, particularly foreign policy.

5. Even regarding his handling of the Ukraine war and NATO—policies that have faced significant opposition—more respondents rated his actions positively (41% and 40%) than negatively. NBC poll respondents also appear to be more forgiving of Trump’s stance on inflation, with 40% saying his policies have had a positive impact, compared to 30% who think they have had a negative effect; 28% said his policies haven't made a difference.

Also Read: Trump’s economic messaging is spooking some of his own advisers

Highlighting the deep political divisions in the country, Trump’s approval rating among Republicans stands at 90%, while only 4% of Democrats approve of him, according to the poll. NBC noted that this marks the largest gap in approval ratings between a president’s own party and the opposition party in the last 80 years.

The NBC News survey, which sampled 1,000 registered voters from March 7-11, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.