"Voters are angry" at Donald Trump's billionaire benefactor Elon Musk for cutting thousands of government jobs across the country, according to new polling.
The South Africa-born tech mogul and his newly created Department of Government Efficiency have taken a figurative chainsaw – like the literal one he brandished onstage at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) – to the federal government and scooped up troves of highly sensitive personal data about workers and taxpayers, and CNN's Harry Enten said voters are furious at his activity.
"We're going to zoom in on Elon Musk, DOGE, and the access, of course, they have to the data," Enten said. "This is from our poll, the most significant Trump action this term so far – look at this. Democrats are more angry about this than Republicans are happy about it. Look at this: Democrats, 18 percent, say that the Musk-DOGE access to data is the most significant action so far for Trump this term. Bring it over to this side of the screen. Look at this: Just 9 percent of Republicans say that Musk-DOGE and the access to data is the most significant Trump action so far."
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"So Elon Musk is becoming this rallying point for anger, this rallying point for anger on the left," Enten added, "and he's not really doing much for the right, who are going, 'Yeah, we like what's going on,' but it's not close to the most significant thing he's doing so far for them. They're much more likely to say something like immigration."
Campaign strategists are always hoping to find an animating issue to fire up voters, and Democrats may have found one in the unelected Musk and his influence over Trump's presidency.
"This gives you an idea of how angry the folks are at Elon Musk," Enten said. "Look at this: Elon Musk's net favorable rating, we've been tracking this. This is Quinnipiac University [poll] back in December of 2024 – he was underwater, but just underwater by five points. Look at where he is now: In February 2025, the American people are turning against Elon Musk. His net favorable rating way down there, past now minus-10 points [to] minus-12 points. The bottom line is this: The voters are angry with Elon Musk, they're angry with the cuts to the federal government. You saw in the town hall last night, and they're taking it out against Elon Musk in the polls as well, where his numbers are falling."
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