The proportion of Republicans who say they identify more with the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement than the traditional Republican Party has declined, a new poll has shown.
According to polling by NBC News, the proportion of self-identified Republicans who identify with MAGA, a political movement associated with President Donald Trump, has dropped by seven percentage points since April 2025.
At the same time, those who say they identify more with traditional Republicanism has increased by seven percentage points.
Newsweek reached out to the White House by email to comment on this story outside of normal business hours.
Why It Matters
The midterms are fast approaching and the GOP are seeking to protect their slim majority in the House of Representatives and Senate. If there are splits in the Republican movement, it could prove problematic for the GOP’s performance in these elections which would, in turn, damage Trump’s brand and reputation.
If the MAGA movement becomes less popular, it may also impact who the party chooses to succeed Trump for the 2028 presidential election.
What To Know
The poll found that 50 percent of Republicans associated with MAGA while 50 percent felt more linked to the Republican Party. In April, 57 percent of Republicans associated with MAGA and 43 percent felt more kinship with the Republican Party.
It comes after the Republican Party recently performed poorly in a series of elections on November 4, including in the New York City mayoral election, in which Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani defeated independent Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa.
There have been splits in the MAGA movement, with Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene engaging in a public spat with Trump that culminated in her recent decision to resign from Congress in January 2026.
Amid growing unease about the future of the party, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles said last week that the Republican Party is set to change its strategy for the 2026 midterm elections by putting Trump on the campaign trail.
Overall, the NBC poll found that 58 percent of people disapprove of Trump and 42 percent approve of him. In April, 55 percent disapproved of him and 45 percent approved so his approval rating has dropped slightly by 3 percentage points.
The poll of 20,252 adults was conducted between November 20 and December 8. It had a margin of error of +/- 1.9 percentage points.
There has also been other negative polling about the president. According to December I&I/TIPP polling, Trump’s overall net approval rating is -3 percentage points, with 44 percent of respondents approving and 47 percent disapproving.
Morning Consult found earlier in December that Trump’s net approval rating was above water in 22 states, a slight improvement from a similar point in his first term, when his net approval rating was net positive in 21 states.
Speaking to Newsweek, Mark Shanahan, who teaches American politics at the University of Surrey in the U.K. said: “Trump isn’t on the ballot in 2026, but he will still dominate the election. It will be won and lost on the economy, so if that remains lackluster as the election campaign ramps up, his policies will damage GOP candidates. And if Republicans lose control of Congress next November, all bets are off for who will be on the ballot for 2028.”
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social in November: “So many Fake Polls are being shown by the Radical Left Media, all slanted heavily toward Democrats and Far Left Wingers…Fake News will never change, they are evil and corrupt but, as I look around my beautiful surroundings, I say to myself, ‘Oh, look, I’m sitting in the Oval Office!'”
What Happens Next
As Trump’s presidency continues, the popularity of the MAGA movement will likely fluctuate. The midterm elections take place in November 2026.
