A new survey highlights President Donald Trump’s continued dominance within the conservative movement.
According to a poll of more than 1,600 attendees at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), held this past week from March 25–28, an overwhelming 96% said they approve of the job Trump is doing as president.
An additional 94% agreed with the statement that Trump has been “the best president in my lifetime.”
Support for Trump’s policy agenda was similarly strong.
The survey found that 91% of respondents back tariffs aimed at reducing the trade deficit and boosting American workers and businesses.
Another 89% support Trump’s military action in Iran to remove Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and halt the country’s nuclear program, while 92% approve of the arrest of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
Other leading Republicans also received high marks among respondents.
Vice President JD Vance earned a 92% approval rating, while House Speaker Mike Johnson received 84%.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune trailed with 57%.
Within Trump’s Cabinet, Secretary of State Marco Rubio ranked as the most popular, with 42% naming him their favorite.
He was followed by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
The poll also offered an early glimpse at the GOP’s future.
In a hypothetical 2028 Republican primary, Vance leads with 53% support, ahead of Rubio at 35%, with all other contenders in single digits.
On the Democratic side, respondents identified California Gov. Gavin Newsom and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani as the most articulate figures on the political left.
Founded in 1964, CPAC is the nation’s oldest conservative grassroots gathering and promotes the values of “life, liberty, and property.”
Among survey participants, 86% were from the South, and the average age was approximately 49.
