President Donald Trump is flunking an important test with voters, according to CNN data analyst Harry Enten.
The long-awaited inflation report, which has been delayed due to the ongoing government shutdown, is due tomorrow, but consumers have already been seeing for themselves that costs have moved higher due to rising fuel costs and tariffs, and polling shows they're dissatisfied with the president's handling of the economy.
"My mama was a doctorand I think she'd look at these numbers and saythat Donald Trump's doing absolutely awful in the minds of the American people," Enten said. "Whatare we talking about? We'retalking about new lows for Donald Trump, he's hit new lowsfor himself.Trump's economic net approval rating hits lowswith these pollsters. CNBC, lookat this down now, minus-13 points onthe net approval rating on theeconomy. You come to this side of the screen, it's minus-19 points among Quinnipiac, and keep in mindwe're talking about hittingrecord lows for Donald Trump ineither his first term, which, ofcourse, ended back in 2021, orhis second term, which isongoing right now. The bottomline is Donald Trump is at thelowest point ever in either of his terms."
"But compare it to presidentshistorically, yeah, let's take a look atthis," Enten added. "Donald Trump is beatinghimself, and the way you don'twant to beat yourself recordlows. But let's compare it toother presidents. Well, let'stake a look here, okay: Worsteconomic net approval ratings atthis point among presidentssince 1977, and the presidency, right, this is a new Donald Trump presidency. Look at this:He's the worst for anypresidency at this point. Howabout the second term come tothis side of the screen? Ofcourse, Trump's in his secondterm, he's the worst for anypresident at their second termat this point. So Donald Trumpisn't just beating himself withrecord lows. This is the lowestfor any president ever at thispoint in either a presidency orfor a second term. Donald Trumpis setting the types of recordsyou simply put, do not want toset."
The shutdown has the potential to send those numbers even lower, Enten said.
"Donald Trump is right now at thetrough in terms of his netapproval rating on the economy," he said. "Well, if there's any economicblame to go around because ofthe shutdown, blame for anyeconomic pain caused by theshutdown, well, look at this.Trump and the GOP gets 53 percent, yousee Democrats here at 37 percent. Amongindependents that key part inthe center of the electorate, they're even more likely toblame Trump and the GOP at 58 percentversus 21 percent for the Dems."
"So thebottom line is this ahead ofthis key inflation reporttomorrow, right now, the gradefor Donald Trump among the American people is really an F," Enten added, "at least compared to otherpresidents, and if the shutdowncauses any more pain that Fcould somehow become even worse, and I think the key question is,will that report tomorrow show Donald Trump in a worseposition? Well, we'll just haveto wait and see and find out,because at this particularpoint, the polling suggests thatthat inflation report tomorrow,if it follows the polls, willbe, let's just say, not so hotto trot."