U.S. President Donald Trump gestures as he makes an impression of a transgender weightlifter during his address to House Republicans at their annual issues conference retreat at the Kennedy Center, renamed the Trump-Kennedy Center by the Trump-appointed board of directors, in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 6, 2026. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
As of the end of August, polls show that President Donald Trump is 21 points underwater.
CNN data analyst walked through where Trump stood with Americans since May on CNN Friday.
According to Harry Enten, Trump's ratings are so bad that he's "stuck" in the basement.
"How low does he go?!" Enten kicked off the segment. "Well, this is a president who is stuck on empty. Stuck on neutral. Whatever kind of gas analogy you want to make."
Prediction markets show a 46 percent likelihood that there will be a Democratic sweep in November.
"The president's approval rating, simply put, is low. His net approval rating is low. It is staying low, and there is no sign he's getting out of the basement. He's stuck on the ground," said Enten.
CNN host John Berman said that it's only the end of August, "surely" there's some way that Trump could come back from such horrific numbers.
He compared it to former President George W. Bush, who lost his huge majority after the September 11 attacks.
"Surely, you can't be serious!" mocked Enten. "He is stuck in the mud, and there's no reason for me to believe he will get himself out of the mud."
He explained that over the past 20 years, midterm polling for the president hasn't shifted that much, on average.
With less than 70 days before the election, Enten said that it's clear he's "stuck" because the approval has been down anywhere from 18 to 20 points. Enten said he simply doesn't see it going anywhere.
The new "Strength in Numbers/Verasight" poll published Thursday found that only 37 percent of Americans who approve of his job performance and 60 percent disapprove.
Trump's weakest rating is on prices and inflation, where net approval fell to a record −48; only 24 percent approve of his handling of costs. Border security, formerly his strongest issue, has now also slipped to −5. Democrats lead the generic congressional ballot 49–43 and are trusted more on eight of 12 issues, including prices, jobs, health care and education. The White House disputed the poll’s implications, citing its economic record.
The most significant impact may be turnout: poor presidential approval can energize opposition voters, discourage the president’s party’s voters and make independents more willing to vote Democratic. It will certainly make the November 3rd election difficult for Republicans.
Democrats need a net gain of four seats to control the Senate chamber and must defend vulnerable seats of their own. Key competitive contests include Alaska, Iowa, Maine, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas, while Michigan and Georgia remain crucial Democratic holds.
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