CNN's Harry Enten presented new data showing that Americans aren't buying President Donald Trump's assurances about the economy.
The president insists on social media there's "almost no inflation" and that "prices are way down," and he's even floated sending out tariff rebate checks, but Enten told "CNN News Central" that polling shows the public isn't feeling great about their personal spending power.
"What President Trump is trying to sell, the American folks aren't buying, and we can see it pretty simply here," Enten said. "Take a look here: This is consumer sentiment – the current conditions, consumer sentiment could be the current conditions or it can be future expectations. We're looking at current conditions, and get this: According to the University of Michigan, we are dealing with the worst ever, the worst-ever view of current conditions dating all the way back since 1951. This is record-breaking in the way you don't want to be breaking records, and get this: It is down 30 percent. Consumer sentiment of current conditions down 30 percent from January when Donald Trump took office. No bueno."
Even worse for the president, Enten said, is that Americans are blaming him for the problem.
"It would be one thing that President Trump could ignore it if folks weren't blaming him for it, but take a look here," Enten said. "Trump blamed, Trump's policies have worsened economic conditions in America. Look at this: We're dealing with a supermajority here, we're talking about more than three in five Americans, 61 percent, who say that Trump's policies have worsened economic conditions in America. How about worsened your own finances? Again, we're dealing with a majority here, 51 percent of Americans say that Trump's policies have worsened your own finances."
"This is double trouble for the president of the United States," Enten added. "When you're dealing with consumer sentiment of current conditions being record-breaking in the wrong ways, being record-breaking for the worst ever since 1951, and you're dealing with a supermajority who say that your policies have worsened economic conditions in America, and you're dealing with a majority who say your policies have worsened. The folks own finances, that is, ay caramba."
Enten examined the results for political independents, and he said their views on the economy signaled danger for congressional Republicans.
"Among pure independents, we're talking about four in five, four in five, 79 percent," Enten said. "I'm laughing because you rarely ever see a number this high, 79 percent of pure independents disapprove of Trump on the economy. How about this? This is no outlier, this is no outlier because look at Marquette University, their law school, 76 percent of pure independents disapprove of Trump on the economy. When you put it all together with the approval ratings, it averages out to a net approval rating on the economy."
"Among independents, get this, minus-58 points – oy vey, as my mother used to say," Enten added. "This is the type of thing that is political nightmare fuel, and it is no wonder that a little bit less than a week ago, the Republicans went down to defeat in Virginia, New Jersey. If these numbers hold a year from now, the Republicans can wave adios amigos goodbye to their House majority, and they may very well be bidding adios amigos, goodbye to their Senate majority, as well."
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