Fox News anchor Gillian Turner put RNC chair Joe Gruters on the spot this week, confronting him live on air with a graphic showing President Donald Trump's approval rating cratering across multiple polls — including the network's own.
A Fox News poll conducted May 15–18 among 1,002 registered voters put Trump's overall job approval at 39%, with 61% disapproving — the highest disapproval figure recorded in Fox News polling during his presidency. An AP-NORC poll showed 37% approval and 62% disapproval, while a Wall Street Journal survey put him at 41% approval and 57% disapproval.
Turner didn't let Gruters off easy.
"It is remarkable that, with the president's approval rating at around 39% according to the latest Fox News polls, he is able to maintain ironclad support from across the party," Turner said.
Gruters brushed it off.
"The base loves the president. The president's the leader of our party," Gruters said. "When he makes a decision, when he comes out and endorses candidates, those candidates usually win."
The Florida state senator — whom Trump tapped to lead the RNC last summer — also dismissed concerns about Trump's Texas Senate primary endorsement of former Attorney General Ken Paxton over Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX). Even Fox's own Brit Hume questioned the pick.
"The widespread feeling is that the race is safer for the Republicans if Cornyn is able to win," Hume said on air.
Gruters was undeterred, touting Trump's endorsement record. "I think he was undefeated the other day — 37 and 0," he said. "It's like a Disney fast pass. You go right to the front if you get that endorsement."
The WSJ poll also found Democrats opening up an 8-point lead on the generic congressional ballot, with a striking plunge in Republican voters' strong approval of Trump — from 75% in January to 57% now.