Poll: Americans disapprove of Trump’s performance, as Republicans manage splits over spending plans

President Donald Trump’s approval rating for his second term remains negative, as does public opinion of his administration’s policies, according to a new NBC News Decision Desk poll conducted with support from SurveyMonkey.

Immigration and border security, however, remain an exception, as the president seeks to focus national attention on his top issue, even though Americans remain deeply divided on even this relatively important topic.

Americans’ approval ratings are rising on two other key projects of Trump’s second term: tariffs and the Department of Government Efficiency. As Congress works on another major Trump initiative, a sweeping spending and tax plan, the poll illustrates how Republicans must navigate internal disagreements over competing priorities regarding taxes and the national debt.

A majority (55%) of adults over 18 disapprove of Trump’s handling of the presidency, while 45% approve, the same percentage as in the April NBC News Stay Tuned poll.

Trump’s approval rating overall and by party

While the overall figure has stabilized, there are subtle signs of declining enthusiasm for the president. The percentage of adults who strongly approve of the president has declined slightly since April. The percentage who strongly disapprove has also declined slightly, although strongly negative sentiment remains stronger than strongly positive sentiment in this poll.

Republicans were 5 percentage points less likely to say they strongly approve of the president than in April, with much of this shift coming from Republicans identifying as members of the Make America Great Again movement, who moved into the “somewhat agree” category.

The survey was conducted online from May 30 to June 10 among 19,410 adults across the country, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.1 percentage points.

When asked about their feelings toward the president and his actions, fewer Make America Great Again supporters also said “satisfied” than in April. Thirty-seven percent said they were satisfied with the Trump administration’s actions since taking office, compared to 46% in April.

Which of the following emotions best describes the way you currently feel about the actions the Trump administration has taken so far during its term?

In contrast, a majority of Democrats (51%) expressed anger at the Trump administration’s actions, reflecting a disparity in sentiment between the two parties. Indeed, the percentage of Republicans who are enthusiastic about the president has declined by 7 percentage points since April.

This type of intensity gap has played a key role in previous non-presidential election cycles, and it could be particularly evident in the non-electoral races in New Jersey and Virginia in November, which typically see relatively low turnout. Congressional Republicans and Trump will be seeking to strengthen their electoral bases as they prepare to defend their seats in the 2026 midterm elections.

A majority of independents expressed dissatisfaction, anger, or frustration with the administration’s actions. This is reflected in the president’s approval ratings, with 65% of independents expressing dissatisfaction with his performance.

Immigration remains Trump’s top concern.

A majority of Americans approve of Trump’s handling of border security and immigration, although public opinion remains deeply divided on even the most important issues: 51% approve of his handling of immigration and border security, compared to 49% who disapprove.

In the poll, Trump deployed the National Guard and Marines to the Los Angeles area due to escalating protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities in the county. He has addressed the issue several times in recent days.

While public opinion is generally divided on Trump’s immigration policy, his base is influenced by this issue and his handling of it. While 9% of Americans say immigration is their most important issue right now, 20% of Make America Great Again supporters consider it the most important issue, second only to the economy.

Trump’s overall results on immigration are similar to those in the April poll, but Republicans, Make America Great Again Republicans, and independents are now more likely to strongly approve of Trump’s handling of border security and immigration.

In recent months, the administration’s immigration policies have coincided with its policies on higher education, particularly those targeting international students in the United States. The poll finds that a majority of Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of university-related issues: 56% disapprove of his actions toward universities, including 42% who say they strongly disapprove.

However, Trump’s voters strongly approve of his handling of universities. Make America Great Again supporters overwhelmingly approve, with 72% strongly approving. Most Republicans also approve, with 57% strongly approving of Trump’s handling of the issue. Regarding the impact of institutions like Harvard on the United States, a majority of Americans say they help the country (44%), while about a quarter (24%) say they harm it. Thirty-one percent of Americans surveyed said universities like Harvard serve no purpose. Harvard has been at the forefront of legal battles with the Trump administration over grants and the ability to admit international students.

The majority of Make America Great Again supporters (65%) and Republicans (53%) said universities like Harvard primarily harm the country, while three-quarters of Democrats said they help it. Among independents, 46% said universities serve no purpose, while 42% said they help the country.

Americans gave Trump negative marks on his handling of several other issues, including tariffs (40% approve, 60% disapprove), the cost of living and inflation (39% vs. 61%), and diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts (44% vs. 56%).

Trump approval on handling certain issues

Republicans Split on Priorities in Trump’s Ambitious Bill

A slim majority of Americans (51%) believe that maintaining current spending on programs like Medicaid is the most important issue Congress will consider this year as part of the Trump-sponsored budget bill. However, this percentage is slightly split, within the margin of error, with 49% of respondents considering two Republican priorities as top priorities.

The poll also shows how Republicans are seeking to balance the priorities and demands of different segments of their slim congressional majority when crafting the bill. Reflecting the divisions among Republican lawmakers negotiating the bill, 40% of Republicans said reducing the national debt was their top priority, while a similar proportion (39%) said continuing and extending the income tax cuts and credits enacted by Trump in 2017 was their top priority. Two in ten Republicans said maintaining current spending was their top priority.

These findings follow a brief but heated online spat between Trump and his former billionaire adviser, Elon Musk, who called the Republican bill a “disgusting piece of work” due to its spending. Several Republican senators also expressed concerns about the bill’s spending level, while supporting the idea of ​​extending the 2017 tax breaks and introducing new ones.

Republicans are split over the most important goal of Trump’s tax and spending legislation

“Which of the following matters MOST to you as Congress debates a budget bill?”

Senate Republicans, who hold a majority of 53 seats, aim to pass their version of the bill by July.

Democrats surveyed overwhelmingly said their priority was maintaining current spending levels for programs like Medicaid (79%), as did a slight majority of independents (53%).

Slight decline in public opinion regarding DOGE

Meanwhile, Americans’ opinion of Musk’s efforts to reduce spending and the size of the federal government with DOGE has declined slightly since April.

In the latest poll, 44% of respondents rated the project as successful or partially successful, up from 47%, while 56% rated it as unsuccessful or partially successful, down from 52% previously.

This shift is driven by declining support for DOGE among Trump’s most ardent supporters, with 49% of MAGA supporters now believing the project is a success, down from 66% in April. The poll was conducted during the recent spat between Trump and Musk, but its results have not changed significantly over time.

Economic Concerns

Economic assessments remain mixed: 45% of Americans say their personal financial situation is the same as it was a year ago, while 34% say it is worse. Twenty-one percent say their financial situation has improved. These results are virtually identical to those in April.

A slim majority of Americans (51%) believe Trump’s tariffs will worsen their personal financial situation in the coming year. This figure is slightly lower than in April, and most groups surveyed tend to believe the tariff policies will stabilize their financial situation.

This result comes as inflation largely stabilised in May, while the impact of several intermittent tariffs and ongoing negotiations with trading partners remains uncertain.