Today marks five years since the January 6, 2021 riot, when self-identified MAGA supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol, falsely claiming the presidential election had been stolen by Joe Biden. Now, with Donald Trump back in the White House and entering the second year of his second term, a new NBC News Decision Desk poll shines light on some of the developments that have taken place over the past year, with a focus on his once-steadfast base of support.
The share of self-identified MAGA (Make America Great Again) supporters ticked down seven percentage points between April and December in 2025, from 57 percent to 50 percent. This loss was accounted for by the increase of seven percentage points among self-identified traditional Republican party members, which rose from 43 percent to 50 percent. The shift indicates there had been a distancing of some members of the party from Trump within that timeframe, while the subsection maintained party values.
Meanwhile, the share of Republican voters who said they strongly approved of Trump’s actions ticked down. Among traditional Republicans, strong approval declined from 38 to 35 percent, while among MAGA supporters, strong approval dropped from 78 percent to 70 percent - still a strong majority.
Over the eight months between the two survey waves, the Trump administration has faced the resurgence of the Epstein files as well as growing criticism over his handling of the economy and trade, in a country where concerns over the cost of living are high. As of the December poll, overall approval stood at 42 percent, with “strong approval” at 21 percent. Data from a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted on January 4 and 5 also shows an approval rating of 42 percent, which is up from the previous survey wave in mid-December. Reuters reports that among MAGA supporters, the abduction of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro has so far been largely praised.
