North Carolina

Trump’s approval ratings are in: Here’s how he scores according to U.S., NC polls

Published

1 year ago

March 10, 2025

Trump’s approval ratings are in: Here’s how he scores according to U.S., NC polls

Recently released presidential approval rating polls offer insight into how President Donald Trump is faring in the eyes of the American people.

The new round of polls comes after Trump’s address to Congress, in which he asserted his administration’s efforts and praised DOGE. Tariffs against Mexico and Canada went into effect earlier the same day, though he later backpedaled, delaying the tariffs.

In the past week, news also emerged that Trump plans to dismantle the Department of Education, though the president does not have the power to fully eliminate the agency on his own accord.

Here are the new polls showing Trump’s approval ratings in the U.S. and North Carolina, plus approval ratings on Josh Stein and comparisons with past presidents and terms.

What is Donald Trump’s approval rating?

Here are the latest approval ratings released on Trump’s administration:

Most recent Gallup polls show Trump’s approval rating averaging at 46% since he took office in his second term. His first term overall average was a 41% approval rating. During both terms, his lowest to highest approval ratings have ranged between 34%-49%.
Most recent Reuters/Ipsos polls from Tuesday, March 4, reported that 44% of those surveyed gave Trump a favorable approval rating of his first month in office. Reports also show that public approval so far has remained higher than his first term in office and higher than that of former President Joe Biden overall.
The most recent ABC News project538 polls showed 47.6% favorability of Trump’s presidential performance in a Tuesday, March 4 poll. The same polls showed that Vice President JD Vance had a slightly lower approval rating, with 40.8% viewing him favorably.
Most recent polls from The Economist show that 46% of people are favorable of Trump and 50% are unfavorable of him, according to the latest update from Thursday, March 6.

What is Trump’s approval rating in North Carolina?

Polls from Meredith College posted on Feb. 13 provided insight into NC residents’ opinions in particular. The polls showed results on a scale of possible answers to the question “Do you approve of the job Donald Trump is doing as president of the United States so far?

Strongly approve: 30%
Somewhat approve: 17%
Somewhat disapprove: 11%
Strongly disapprove: 38%
Don’t know: 4%

What is North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein’s approval rating?

Meredith College polls also asked NC residents, “Do you approve of the job Josh Stein is doing as governor of North Carolina so far? Responses were:

Strongly approve: 21%
Somewhat approve: 37%
Somewhat disapprove: 11%
Strongly disapprove: 8%
Don’t know: 22%

How does Trump’s approval rating compare with his 1st term?

According to results from now-defunct polling website FiveThirtyEight, Trump had a final approval rating of 34% when he left office in 2021. His approval average during his first term was 41%.

How does Trump’s approval rating compare with past presidents?

Joe Biden – 40%
Donald Trump (first term) – 34%
Barack Obama – 59%
George W. Bush – 34%
Bill Clinton – 66%
George H.W. Bush – 56%
Ronald Reagan – 63%
Jimmy Carter – 34%
Gerald Ford – 53%
Richard Nixon – 24%

Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com.

Source link

Click to comment

North Carolina

‘It was dire’: NC State professor returns from Qatar after being trapped during Iran war

Published

12 hours ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

‘It was dire’: NC State professor returns from Qatar after being trapped during Iran war

An North Carolina State University professor is back home Monday night after he was trapped in the Middle East as war with Iran broke out.

Rich Spontak was stuck in Qatar while traveling from Bangkok to Spain and was forced to stay in the country for about a week. Several travelers were trapped for days in the Middle East after Iran’s
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several defense leaders were
killed in joint strikes by the United States and Israel.

Spontak, like many travelers, found himself stranded in the Middle East after the initial attacks, which quickly entangled more surrounding countries, including Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, where seven U.S. service members were killed in retaliatory attacks from Iran.

Spontak said there were times he thought he wouldn’t make it out.

“I would just keep looking out and looking for the missiles,” Spontak said. “Some people that I met along the way were hit by shrapnel from the missles. It was dire.”

Airspace over Iran, Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait and Syria remained closed, according to flight-tracking service Flightradar24. Azerbaijan also shut the southern sector of its airspace on Thursday after accusing Iran of a drone attack that injured four civilians and damaged an airport building.

Lilia Austin, a Chapel Hill woman who was part of a group of 100 women who went to Israel for a trip the day before Khamenei was killed, also returned home on Sunday after she left Israel through Egypt.

Source link

North Carolina

Gov. Stein proposes $1.4B ‘critical needs’ budget for North Carolina

Published

24 hours ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

Gov. Stein proposes .4B ‘critical needs’ budget for North Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. (WLOS) — With North Carolina still without a new state budget, Gov. Josh Stein is urging state lawmakers to approve a $1.4 billion “Critical Needs Budget.” Stein says this budget will address the state’s most urgent priorities while the General Assembly works on a full spending plan.

“North Carolina has gone nearly two and a half years without passing a new state budget – the only state in the country to finish 2025 without one[…]This budget invests in critical public safety, education and health care services for the people of North Carolina that cannot wait,” Gov. Stein said in a press release Monday.

A major part of Stein’s proposal is $319 million to fully fund Medicaid, which provides health coverage to over three million North Carolinians. This program also supports rural hospitals, nursing homes and statewide health care providers, per the release.

JUDGE ORDERS FEMA TO REINSTATE $200M STORM RELIEF PROGRAM, ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYS

The “Critical Needs Budget” would target public safety staffing and pay. According to the governor’s office, North Carolina currently ranks 49th in starting salaries for state troopers and correctional officers, and low pay has contributed to staffing shortages and vacancy rates. This budget would bring pay raises to correctional officers, law enforcement officers, probation and parole officers and more.

Stein’s proposed budget calls for raising starting and average teacher pay, as well as increasing pay for senior teachers and other education staff. The governor’s office said the state remains in the bottom 10 nationally in average teacher pay.

The budget proposal also includes pay increases for state employees and a cost-of-living adjustment for retired state employees, citing rising inflation costs and increasing health care premiums. Stein’s plan also includes targeted funding to maintain essential services, such as support for child care access and affordability.

Source link

North Carolina

The North Carolina Arboretum’s “Spring Into the Arb” returns for year two

Published

2 days ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

The North Carolina Arboretum’s “Spring Into the Arb” returns for year two

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — The North Carolina Arboretum has announced a new season of “Spring Into the Arb!”

The “Spring Into the Arb!” is in its second year, with its series of plant shows and sales, science and nature activities, music, and art, allowing people to reemerge and reconnect with nature.

The season begins with Nature Play Day on Saturday, March 14, continuing through April, May, and June with new activities every weekend.

TROLLS DRAW LARGE WEEKEND CROWD, FORCING N.C. ARBORETUM TO TEMPORARILY CLOSE

According to a news release, throughout the season, guests can enjoy the following:

Asheville Orchid Festival, annual Ikebana and Rose shows
Purchase plants at the Spring Plant Sale and Market
Get back to their native roots with Native Azalea Day, Mountain Science Expo, and Nature Play Day

The series culminates with Bonsai in the Blue Ridge in June, according to the release.

The release says guests and members are invited to drop in on the newly-opened Arbor Eatery in the Arboretum’s Education Center, which is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Hours extend to 5 p.m. beginning April 1.

Spring Into the Arb events and programs are included with the regular Arboretum parking fee of $25 per vehicle. Arboretum Society Members get in free.

NC ARBORETUM MARKS BIRD DAY WITH WALKS, DEMOS AHEAD OF GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT

According to the release, additional admission is required for the Asheville Orchid Festival and Bonsai in the Blue Ridge.

A full list of the Spring Into the Arb 2026 events includes: