Trump dismisses polling reality, insists his approval is near 60%
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President Donald Trump brushed aside recent polls showing weak public support and instead claimed his backing is closer to 60 percent, leaning on overwhelmingly loyal Republican voters as proof while ignoring broader national numbers.
President Donald Trump said recent polls showing a drop in his approval rating are wrong and urged the public to trust his own estimate instead. In an interview with The Washington Examiner’s Byron York, Trump attacked a RealClearPolitics average that put his approval at 38.8 percent as "fake" and insisted his real support is far higher.
"It’s fake," Trump said. "The job approval, they said it’s 37, 38? I’m not at 38. I don’t believe I could be beaten by anybody. I think that if I needed it, which I don’t, I think 60," he added.
Recent surveys from Reuters/Ipsos, Pew Research Center and The New York Times/Siena College have shown approval levels ranging from 30 to 34 percent, with disapproval rates between 65 and 68 percent. The New York Times/Siena College poll noted the figure is the lowest for a president approaching midterm elections since 1946.
Trump pointed to an analysis by CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten, which indicated near-universal support among MAGA-identified Republicans, citing a 99 percent share of that vote in the 2024 election and a 98 percent approval rating among those voters in September. He used this narrow partisan data to claim his overall approval is in the 60-percent range.
"I think I’d be in the 60s now. Now, in the Republican Party, I’m way up. Show him the 99 percent. Have you seen it?" Trump said.
Enten also reported a sharp decline in Trump’s net approval on inflation, falling from +8 points in 2024 to –45 ahead of the midterms. Despite the unfavorable national figures, Trump praised the polling that reflects strong Republican backing.
"They did do some nice polls on me, I must say. If CNN keeps doing those polls, I’ll like them more and more," he said.