Trump dismisses biased polls, says real support is far higher than media claims
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President Donald Trump rejected recent poll numbers showing him in the low 30s, arguing that his true approval is much stronger and that Republican support remains overwhelming.
President Donald Trump rejected recent polling that placed his job approval in the mid-30s percent, calling the figures "fake" during an interview with The Washington Examiner’s Byron York. Trump said he believes his approval is closer to 60 percent and that no opponent could beat him.
Polls released by Reuters/Ipsos, Pew Research Center and The New York Times/Siena College all showed approval rates between 30 and 34 percent, with disapproval rates ranging from 65 to 68 percent. The New York Times noted the 34-percent figure was the lowest for a president approaching midterm elections since 1946.
Trump cited an analysis by CNN data analyst Harry Enten, which indicated near-universal support among MAGA-identified Republicans – 99 percent of that group voted for him in the 2024 election and 98 percent approved of his performance in September. He also referenced Enten’s finding that his net approval on inflation had fallen sharply, a reminder of how the media fixates on short-term numbers while missing the depth of his base.
"It’s fake," Trump said when asked about a RealClearPolitics average showing 38.8 percent approval.
"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?"
"They did do some nice polls on me, I must say. If CNN keeps doing those polls, I’ll like them more and more," Trump added.
The president’s remarks come amid a broader controversy over fabricated polling data from Wedgewood Research, which The New York Times said it did not use in its calculations.