Politics
CNN Host Gives Democrats A Devastating ‘Reality Check’ On Trump’s Record Popularity
CNN’s Harry Enten delivered an eye-opening analysis of President Donald Trump’s standing with the American public, providing a “reality check” to Democrats who have long dismissed Trump’s political viability. Despite relentless criticism and media opposition, Enten revealed that Trump is enjoying a level of popularity higher than at many points in his first term—and even when he secured re-election in 2024.
“I think sometimes it’s important to do a little bit of reality check and take a little different spin at the numbers,” Enten said during his segment. “I’m going to do that right here because all we talk about is how unpopular Donald Trump is.”
“But in reality, he’s basically more popular than he was at any point in term number one and more popular than he was when he won election back in November of 2024. What are we talking about? His net favorable rating right now comes in at minus seven points; in March of 2017, he was at minus 10 points. So when you compare Trump against himself, he’s actually closer to the apex than he is.”
Enten continued by stressing a critical factor often overlooked by the media: Trump’s poll numbers have historically been underestimated. “Donald Trump, historically speaking, has had his numbers underestimated. So I think it’s very important to compare him to himself to understand he’s actually more popular now than he was when he won or certainly where he was at this point back in his first term.”
“The bottom line is Trump is more towards the ceiling than he is towards the floor.”
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The data presents a challenge for Democrats, who had counted on Trump’s unpopularity to damage Republican chances in upcoming elections. According to Enten, the perception of the country under Trump’s leadership is positive compared to past administrations.
The percentage of Americans who believe the country is on the right track is notably high compared to historical trends, which could provide insight into Donald Trump’s actual popularity if polls have historically underestimated him. Marist polling shows that 45% of respondents feel the country is headed in the right direction, the second-highest figure recorded by Marist since 2009. Similarly, an NBC News poll reports that 44% share this sentiment, marking the highest level recorded since 2004.
Enten noted that the high percentage of Americans who believe the country is on the right track resembles a re-election environment, contrasting sharply with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’s tenure when only 27-28% felt that way. He also highlighted Republican strength heading into the 2026 midterms, pointing to recent congressional ballot trends that mirror past GOP victories.
“The bottom line is yes, Donald Trump’s approval rating is lower than compared to a lot of his predecessors, but it’s higher than compared to himself. A lot of folks say the country’s on the right track, and the generic congressional ballot looks a heck of a lot more like when Republicans win than when Democrats win,” Enten concluded.
Enten’s analysis serves as a wake-up call for Democrats, who now face an electorate that appears more supportive of Trump’s policies and the Republican-controlled government than in previous cycles. With Trump’s policies resonating among a significant portion of the electorate and congressional races favoring the GOP, Democrats may find their path back to power steeper than they anticipated.
