CNN's Harry Enten expressed astonishment by a new poll finding on the Jeffrey Epstein scandal that's ripping apart the MAGA movement.
President Donald Trump has ordered his supporters to stop asking questions about the case after the Department of Justice publicly disputed conspiracy theories about the disgraced financier's death and a purported "client list," but Enten told "CNN News Central" that the issue doesn't seem to be breaking through with rank-and-file Republican voters.
"This one surprised me a bit because of all of these complaints online going after Trump and the Epstein files, you might think his approval ratings were going down," Enten said. "Republicans, if anything, they're going up, Republicans who approve of Trump. Look at our CNN poll, the prior one, 86 percent, the one out this week, 88 percent . How about Quinnipiac? The prior poll, 87 percent approval [among] Republicans, this week out, 90 percent with Republicans. If anything, Donald Trump's approval rating has gone up since this whole Epstein saga started. He is at the apex or close thereto in terms of his popularity with Republican voters, Epstein files complaints or not."
Host Sara Sidner commented that the disconnect showed how online commentary didn't always reflect real-world concerns, and Enten pointed to one finding that he found even more surprising.
"Yeah, I mean on X, all you hear about is the Epstein files, but how about out in the real public?" Enten said. "Republicans who said the top issue was Epstein case? The answer is one – one, and not 1 percent, one respondent. This is a great little finding that Ariel Edwards-Levy, who, of course, is part of our polling unit, found just one single Republican said that the nation's top problem is, in fact, the Epstein case. Not much of a surprise that therefore, Donald Trump's approval rating has not suffered with Republicans because of the Epstein case, because the bottom line is most Americans say it's not up high up on their priority list."
Democrats have been trying to exploit the rift in the president's hardcore base over the issue, but Enten said those efforts aren't reflected in the polling he's seen.
"Here's what's so important," Enten said. "You know, we talk about the potential of Republicans leaving Donald Trump. They're not leaving them, but what about congressional Democrats and problems with their own base? Democrats, net approval of congressional Democrats, according to Quinnipiac University, in June of 2025, it was their second worst ever at minus-12 points. It's not not low enough for you. How about we go even lower in July of 2025, minus-13 points – their worst net approval rating for congressional Democrats, among Democrats ever."
"Donald Trump is not the one who has problems with his political base," Enten added. "It is congressional Democrats are the ones who have problems with their own political base."
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