Trump threatens pollsters with criminal charges over surveys he calls 'fraudulent'
U.S. President Donald Trump gestures as he boards Air Force One to depart for Florida, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S., January 16, 2026. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

President Donald Trump erupted at pollsters on Monday, threatening them with criminal prosecution over what he claimed were “fake and fraudulent” surveys showing his administration underwater with voters. In a Truth Social rant, Trump singled out not only mainstream outlets but also conservative stalwarts like Fox News and The Wall Street Journal, accusing them of knowingly pushing bad polls to influence elections. The latest outburst comes as new polling shows fewer than a third of Americans believe the country is better off under Trump, prompting the president to revive his long-running insistence that unfavorable numbers are not just wrong, but part of a coordinated “scam” against him.

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Trump threatens pollsters with criminal charges over surveys he calls 'fraudulent' Trump threatens pollsters with criminal charges over surveys he calls 'fraudulent'