President Trump dismisses disappointing poll numbers as “fake news” from biased media sources, demanding investigations into major outlets he claims manipulate their data to undermine his presidency.
Key Insights
- Recent polls from The New York Times and ABC/Washington Post show Trump’s approval rating at historic lows for a president’s first 100 days
- Trump claims the polls are deliberately skewed by including disproportionately few of his supporters in their samples
- Trump referenced pollster John McLaughlin to support his assertion that the polls are fraudulent
- The president labeled major media organizations as “the enemy of the people” suffering from “Trump Derangement Syndrome”
- Trump believes America no longer has a “Free and Fair” press due to what he perceives as persistent negative coverage
Trump’s Strong Response to Negative Polling
President Donald Trump has launched a forceful rebuttal against recent polls showing declining approval ratings for his administration. In a Truth Social post, Trump specifically targeted The New York Times and ABC/Washington Post polls, labeling them “FAKE POLLS FROM FAKE NEWS ORGANIZATIONS.” He cited pollster John McLaughlin, whom he described as “one of the most highly respected in the industry,” to bolster his claims that these polls deliberately manipulate their samples to produce negative results about his presidency.
At issue are poll results showing Trump’s approval rating at just 42% according to The New York Times, while the Washington Post/ABC poll indicated he has the lowest approval ratings for the first 100 days of any president since World War II. These findings have clearly struck a nerve with the president, who has consistently maintained that mainstream media organizations harbor deep bias against his administration and deliberately misrepresent his accomplishments to the American people.
Claims of Statistical Manipulation
The heart of Trump’s critique focuses on the sampling methodology used by these polling organizations. According to the president, The New York Times poll included only 37% of Trump 2024 voters, while the ABC/Washington Post poll had just 34% Trump voters in their sample. Trump argues these percentages are “unheard of numbers unless looking for a negative result,” suggesting intentional manipulation of the data to produce unfavorable outcomes.
“Great Pollster John McLaughin, one of the most highly respected in the industry, has just stated that The Failing New York Times Poll, and the ABC/Washington Post Poll, about a person named DONALD J. Trump, ME, are FAKE POLLS FROM FAKE NEWS ORGANIZATIONS,” Trump stated in a Monday Truth Social post.
The president’s criticism went beyond merely questioning the polls’ accuracy. Trump explicitly called for an investigation into these media organizations for what he termed “ELECTION FRAUD,” suggesting their polling practices are not just flawed but potentially criminal in nature. He included Fox News pollsters in his call for investigation, broadening his critique to include outlets that have traditionally been viewed as more sympathetic to conservative perspectives.
Media as “The Enemy of the People”
Trump’s response to the poll numbers further intensified as he described media organizations as suffering from “Trump Derangement Syndrome.” This characterization suggests he believes there is an irrational fixation on criticizing him regardless of his administration’s actual performance. The president highlighted what he considers significant achievements, particularly citing border security, where he claims his administration has achieved “99.9%, BEST NUMBER EVER!”
“They suffer from Trump Derangement Syndrome, and there is nothing that anyone, or anything, can do about it. THEY ARE SICK, almost only write negative stories about me no matter how well I am doing (99.9% at the Border, BEST NUMBER EVER!), AND ARE TRULY THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE! I wish them well, but will continue to fight to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Trump concluded.
This latest conflict between Trump and major media outlets follows a pattern established during his first term, where the president frequently challenged negative coverage and unfavorable polling data. The substance of Trump’s criticism centers on what he perceives as a fundamental lack of fairness and objectivity in mainstream media reporting about his administration. For Trump’s supporters, his willingness to directly confront media bias represents a refreshing departure from traditional political norms.
Sources:
- Trump has used government powers to target more than 100 perceived enemies
- Trump Blasts ‘Fake News’ Approval Polls: ‘Truly The Enemy Of The People’
