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Trump’s favorability rating landed at 41 percent positive, placing him ahead of several prominent Democrats.
That includes former vice president Kamala Harris, who scored 34 percent positive in the same survey.
Harris, who has openly hinted she may consider another presidential run, recently told podcaster Sharon McMahon that she “might” launch a future campaign. The numbers suggest that such a run could begin from a weaker position than many Democratic strategists hoped.
Even some prominent media personalities who spend significant time criticizing Trump did not fare much better.
Late-night host Stephen Colbert registered 35 percent positive, placing him below Trump in the same survey.
For Democrats hoping to rally around new leadership, the results were particularly concerning when it came to one of the party’s most heavily promoted potential candidates.
Newsom’s Numbers Raise Eyebrows
California governor Gavin Newsom has been widely discussed in political circles as a possible Democratic standard-bearer for the 2028 election.
He has traveled frequently outside California, appearing in battleground states and engaging in high-profile political clashes with Republicans, including Trump.
Despite that national exposure, the NBC poll gave Newsom a 27 percent positive rating, one of the lowest scores among major political figures included in the survey.
That places him only slightly above the favorability rating voters gave to artificial intelligence technology, which polled at 26 percent positive.
The poll also measured the standing of progressive firebrand Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who registered 31 percent positive.
Taken together, the numbers reveal a troubling pattern for Democrats attempting to identify a strong national figure heading into the next presidential cycle.
ICE Polling Higher Than the Democratic Party
One of the most striking results in the survey involved the federal immigration enforcement agency that has long been a target of progressive activists.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement received a 38 percent positive rating, a number that surpassed several Democratic figures.
That figure also exceeded the overall favorability rating voters gave to the Democratic Party itself, which registered just 30 percent positive in the survey.
This is particularly notable given that many Democratic politicians spent years criticizing the agency and advocating sweeping changes to immigration enforcement.
During past debates over immigration policy, calls to dismantle or abolish ICE became a rallying cry among progressive activists and some Democratic lawmakers.
Yet the NBC data suggests the agency now enjoys stronger public support than the party that once centered its messaging around opposing it.
Vance Emerges as Strong Republican Contender
Another noteworthy figure in the poll was Vice President JD Vance.
Vance recorded a 38 percent positive rating, placing him near the top of the survey’s political figures.
In fact, the only figure tested who scored higher was Pope Francis, whose favorability rating came in at 42 percent positive.
The result is striking given that Vance has faced consistent criticism from major media outlets and political opponents.
Despite that scrutiny, the NBC survey suggests he remains more popular with voters than several of the Democrats widely discussed as future presidential candidates.
A Warning Sign for Democrats Heading Toward 2028
The NBC poll adds to a growing body of data showing that the Democratic Party is facing serious challenges with voter perception.
Previous polling has painted a similarly bleak picture.
At one point, NBC’s own surveys recorded the party’s favorability at 27 percent, the lowest level since the network began asking the question in 1990.
Another poll conducted by Quinnipiac University found congressional Democrats with a record-low 18 percent job approval rating heading into the 2026 election cycle.
Meanwhile, reporting from The Wall Street Journal indicated that Democrats had reached their lowest voter rating in more than three decades.
Taken together, these figures suggest that the party faces a serious rebuilding effort before the next presidential contest.
Political analysts often note that the opposition party tends to gain ground during midterm elections.
However, the challenge for Democrats may go beyond the usual political cycle.
Winning national elections requires candidates who can energize voters and expand support beyond the party’s core base.
If the current numbers hold, Democrats may be entering the 2028 race with a slate of candidates who are already struggling to win a simple popularity contest with the American public.
