President Donald Trump likes to boast that he's created a historic economy, but new polling shows he may be on the wrong side of history.
The 79-year-old president was re-elected to a second term in 2024 largely on the basis of his economic message, but CNN's Harry Enten presented polling data that shows Americans have not liked seeing those policies in action.
"The president ismaking history on the economy,at least how Americans feelabout it, and the completelywrong way," Enten said. "What are we talkingabout here? Well, let's take alook at Trump's net approvalrating on the economy. Look atwhere he is today: Way, way downthere, minus-32 points, and the netapproval rating at the beginningof term two. Remember, Trump gota term two because voterstrusted him more on the economythan Kamala Harris. He was at plus-six – that's a nearly 40-point drop and a little bit morethan a year's time, and look atwhere he was at term one at thispoint. He was at plus-twopoints."
"Remember, the economywas a strength for him in termone at this point. It was astrength for him throughout hisentire term one, but in termnumber two, it has becomeabsolutely an anchor that isdragging him down to a historicdegree," he added.
Trump has hit a historic low for economic approval, and Enten sees evidence that could get even worse.
"I'm astudent of history – I likereading those history books, Ilike going through thespreadsheets, and just take alook here," Enten said. "He's not just thelowest at this point at anypoint in either of hispresidencies, but he is at thelowest, he has the worst netapproval rating at this point inany term for any president. Lookat this: He's at minus-32 points now. Joe Biden, of course, Donald Trump loved to rip Joe Biden in the economy. Joe Biden,though, was at minus-25, seven pointsbetter. How about George W. Bush minus-25 points, again, seven pointsbetter than Donald Trump, and ofcourse, Donald Trump loves torip on James Earl Carter, but James Earl Carter, Jimmy Carter,was at minus-22 points, 10 pointsbetter than Donald Trump isright now. So again, Donald Trump making the type of historythat no president likes to make."
"If you think this minus-32 pointsis bad, you ain't seen nothingyet, because just take a look atindependents," Enten added. "Oh my, oh my ... look at this: Trump's economic net approvalrating among independents, he'sat minus-55 points. Ladies andgentlemen minus-55 points, 55 pointsunderwater. Look at that. He wasa plus one, he was a plus one in January of 2025. That's a 56-point drop, and in term numberone he was breaking even atzero, so he's 55 points lower.The bottom line is the reasonwhy the general electorate isleaving. Donald Trump is beingdriven, the car is being totallydriven by independentsabsolutely abandoning him. He isdown there with the Titanic atthis point."
There's not really a precedent for the drop-off in support that Trump has experienced, Enten said.
"This this is the type ofstuff where you're reading thehistory books, when you're looking back, and go, 'Whoa, that couldnever happen again,'" Enten said, "and that isthe type of thing thatabsolutely ruins presidents."
"Takea look at the Kalshi predictionmarket chances," he added. "April CPI year-over-year is above March's 3.3 percent,98 percent chance. That's not 100, butit's pretty gosh-darn close.The bottom line is this theeconomy for Donald Trump is his Waterloo."