...
By Mandy Taheri
Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
A record percentage of Americans identify as “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) supporters, according to a new poll.
Why It Matters
The MAGA label has become a defining identity within the Republican Party, even as President Donald Trump publicly narrows whom he says belongs in the movement during a heated debate over the Iran war.
Read More on Politics
Recent splits with high‑profile figures such as Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly and former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene highlight how loyalty to Trump increasingly defines the label itself over some “America First” stances. As races in the 2026 midterm elections intensify, questions about who speaks for the MAGA base, and how unified it remains, are set to become a central feature of the wider political discourse.
...
What To Know
Self‑identification with the MAGA movement reached a new high of 27 percent among all respondents in an Economist/YouGov poll conducted from March 20 to 23. The survey of 1,665 U.S. adult citizens asked if the individuals identify as a MAGA supporter. Sixty-four percent of respondents said they are not, while 9 percent said they are not sure.
Across party lines, 65 percent of Republicans—also a record high in comparable polling—identified as MAGA, compared with 2 percent of Democrats and 15 percent of independents.
In a separate question, 91 percent of self-identified MAGA supporters said they approve of Trump’s job performance, while 5 percent said they disapprove.
In an earlier similar survey of 1,563 U.S. adults, 25 percent reported identifying as MAGA supporters, with 63 percent of Republicans. Identification remains substantially lower outside the party, with 12 percent of independents and 3 percent of Democrats reporting that the label applied to them. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.
A similar poll conducted between January 26 and May 12, 2025, found that 52 percent of Republicans identified as MAGA.
What People Are Saying
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle told Newsweek in an emailed statement this month: "According to the RealClearPolitics average, President Trump is enjoying a higher approval rating than former Presidents Obama and Bush at this point in their second term, with much more hostile media coverage."
President Donald Trump said this month in an interview responding to criticism from Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly over the Iran strikes: "I think that MAGA is Trump. MAGA's not the other two."
Former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, in a February interview on The Kim Iversen Show: "I think people are realizing it was all a lie. It was a big lie for the people. What MAGA is really serving in this administration, who they’re serving, is their big donors. The big, big donors that donated all the money and continue to donate to the president’s PACs and donate to the 250th anniversary and are donating to the big ballroom,” later adding, "It’s the foreign countries. They are running the show here. It’s the major big corporations and what is best for the world. That’s really what MAGA is."
Senator Jon Ossoff, a Georgia Democrat, applauded Greene in a February rally: "Welcome to the resistance."
What Happens Next
The November election could determine control of Congress, with several toss-up Senate and House races in play.
In a polarized era, the center is dismissed as bland. At Newsweek, ours is different: The Courageous Center—it's not "both sides," it's sharp, challenging and alive with ideas. We follow facts, not factions. If that sounds like the kind of journalism you want to see thrive, we need you.
When you become a Newsweek Member, you support a mission to keep the center strong and vibrant. Members enjoy: Ad-free browsing, exclusive content and editor conversations. Help keep the center courageous. Join today.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines