'No wonder Trump is having problems': CNN data analyst points to 'shocking number'
Voters overwhelmingly agree that president Donald Trump needs to get his priorities straight, according to CNN's Harry Enten.
The polling analyst called attention to a new CBS News/YouGov survey that shows more than eight in 10 Americans believe the president hasn't focused enough on the economy, which they identified as their top issue, and Enten said that's part of a growing trend six weeks into his second term.
"No, no, no, no, no, no – the answer to the question is no," Enten said. "Trump and the economy, he should prioritize – here on Planet Earth, 82 percent say it's almost as if Trump is on Planet Krypton. Look at this: He is prioritizing the economy, just 36 percent. My goodness gracious, I don't understand how this mathematical formula works, right? If the economy is the No. 1 issue, if that's what Americans think you should be prioritizing and well, less than half think that you are. No wonder Trump is having problems with the economy, because simply put, he's not putting it to the top of his list the way Americans are."
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The stock market plunged earlier this week as Trump's tariffs snapped into effect against Canada and Mexico, and Enten said a substantial number of Americans hold stock through their retirement accounts.
"That has changed tremendously," he said. "You know, sometimes I look up numbers and I'm just shocked at them. This to me is a shocking number, and it tells you why the stock market is so important to perceptions of the economy. American adults who have a job currently, at least in January, with 61 percent, the percentage that own a stock either directly or indirectly, perhaps your 401k – 62 percent, so the stock market is as important to economic perceptions in my mind as is the unemployment number. Given that about the same percentage of Americans, in fact, if you believe it, though, it's within the margin of error. One point more of the American folks actually own stock than actually have a job, and that's why the economy or the stock market going this way could lead to Donald Trump's approval ratings, following along on the roller coaster."
Trump won't likely enjoy much of an approval bump from his congressional address, Enten said.
"We will see, but I will just say color me very skeptical, because going back through history, the job approval shift post-speech to Congress, the average president goes up," Enten said. "Get this, but just 0.3 points. Trump's average was up 1.6, but that was just a momentary bump. That really isn't going to change the game. Something's going to happen, have to happen with him on the economy and perceptions of him and how he's dealing with the economy if he wants to see his approval rating go up instead of go down like it currently is."
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