President Donald Trump's approval rating has fallen to record lows, and CNN's Harry Enten warned that he's rapidly losing ground with a key bloc of the Republican Party
Only about a third of all Americans approve of his job performance, driven largely by dissatisfaction over his handling of the economy and the Iran war, but Enten pointed to his dwindling support from moderate Republicans – who make up roughly 30 to 40 percent of his own party.
"Moderate Republicans [are] abandoning Donald John Trump," Enten said, "and that is a big uh-oh."
In October 2024, Trump held a commanding 69-point net approval advantage over Kamala Harris among moderate and leaning Republicans, but that advantage has now collapsed to just 10 points net approval — a 59-point drop in under two years, Enten said.
The decline is even steeper on the economy, the issue widely credited with fueling Trump's 2024 win. Moderate Republicans trusted Trump over Kamala Harris on the economy by 80 points in October 2024. That figure has fallen to just one to three points — a 77-point collapse — leaving Trump barely above water on the issue that once defined his coalition's support.
The erosion extends to specific policy areas as well. Among moderate Republicans, Trump's net approval is six points underwater on his handling of the Iran war, and 17 points underwater on inflation — a particularly striking number given that rising prices were central to his return to office.
Enten warned those numbers also posed a threat for down-ballot GOP candidates.
"If I'm a Republican running for Congress in those swing districts, I need those moderate Republicans, and they are leaving Donald Trump," he said. "They may be leaving those Republican candidates as well."