...
By Sam Stevenson
Associate News Editor
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.
Almost two‑thirds of Republicans now identify as MAGA supporters, a new high that underscores how tightly the movement remains bound to President Donald Trump as internal fractures grow.
Newsweek contacted the White House for comment via email outside regular working hours.
Why It Matters
The Make America Great Again label has become a defining identity within the Republican Party, even as Trump publicly narrows who 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 and Megyn Kelly highlight how loyalty to Trump increasingly defines the label itself. As campaign season intensifies, 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 has reached its highest level yet among Republicans, according to an Economist/YouGov poll conducted from March 6 to 9.
Among U.S. adults, 25 percent reported identifying as MAGA supporters, according to the poll. That share jumped sharply among Republicans, with 63 percent now described themselves as MAGA, marking a new high for this polling series.
Identification remains substantially lower outside the party, with 12 percent of independents and 3 percent of Democrats reporting that the label applied to them.
Racial and ethnic breakdowns show uneven support. About 31 percent of white respondents identified as MAGA, compared with 16 percent of Hispanic respondents and 8 percent of Black respondents.
Voting history continues to be one of the clearest dividing lines. Among those who voted for Trump in 2024, 57 percent identified as MAGA supporters, while 3 percent of voters who supported then-Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024 said the same.
Gender differences are present but narrower than other gaps. About 28 percent of men identified as MAGA supporters, compared with 22 percent of women.
Age patterns show the highest identification among middle‑aged and older adults. About 29 percent of respondents ages 45 to 64 said they identified as MAGA, followed by 27 percent of those 65 and older.
Younger adults reported lower levels, with 22 percent among those ages 18 to 29 and 21 percent among those ages 30 to 44.
Education also plays a role. About 27 percent of respondents without a college degree identified as MAGA supporters, compared with 21 percent of college graduates.
Polling Methodology
The Economist/YouGov Poll was conducted among 1,563 U.S. adult citizens. Respondents were selected from YouGov's opt‑in panel and weighted to be representative of U.S. citizens age 18 and over.
Weighting accounted for gender, age, race, education, region, 2024 and 2020 election turnout and presidential vote, baseline party identification, and current voter registration status.
At the time of weighting, the 2024 presidential vote was estimated at 48 percent Harris and 50 percent Trump.
A total of 1,859 respondents began the survey.
After screenouts, breakoffs, removals for interview completion times under five minutes, attention check failures, and other data quality controls, the final reporting sample was 1,563 respondents, including 1,405 registered voters.
The margin of error was plus or minus 3.4 percentage points for the full sample and plus or minus 3.2 percentage points for registered voters, adjusted for weighting.
What People Are Saying
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle told Newsweek in an emailed statement this week: "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 earlier 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."
What Happens Next
Attention is likely to turn to how this consolidation around the MAGA label shapes Republican primaries and turnout heading into the midterm elections.
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