CNN's Harry Enten was so worked up over "mind-blowing" new polling on President Donald Trump and the economy that his voice cracked.
Inflation remains the top concern for American voters, just as it was when they elected the 79-year-old president to a second term in 2024, but polls show Trump's approval on the issue has sunk to a historic low.
"Donald John Trump is in the worst position he has ever been on inflation, and more than that, these are the worst numbers I've ever seen for any president," Enten said. "I mean, just look at this – look at this. According to Ipsos, look at this, net approval rating on inflation. We got the latest poll out: He's 49 points underwater. That means that 49 percent more of the public disapprove than approve of the job he's doing."
I went back, you remember, Joe Biden, inflation absolutely crushed his presidency," Enten added. "But at his worst, according to Ipsos, he was just 43 points underwater. So Trump is lower now on inflation than Joe Biden ever was, according to Ipsos, and I will note that the inflation rate rate right now is only about a third [as high] as it was back in June of 2022, yet Trump's numbers are significantly worse than Biden's ever were."
Jimmy Carter's presidency was also defined by inflation, but Enten said Trump's approval on the topic was even worse.
"These are really stunning numbers right here, but what about James Earl Carter?" Enten said. "You think about inflation sinking presidencies, you think of Jimmy Carter. But just look here, okay? If we look right now at, we're talking about net approvals on inflation, this number should actually be 46 percent, minus-46, and if you look at this, though, even if I raise it a little bit and I correct my error right here live on air, we're talking about minus-46 points versus minus-49 points. Donald Trump is in worse position on inflation that Jimmy Carter was when, of course, Carter then got blown out by Ronald Reagan back in 1980."
A plurality of Republicans, at 49 percent, believe the U.S. is on the wrong track, compared with 39 percent who believe it's on the right track, but a staggering 75 percent of independents feel the country's on the wrong track, while just 9 percent believe it's headed in the right direction.
"It's mind blowing," Enten said. "You just never see numbers like this."
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