New Polls Reveal Real Numbers Behind Trump’s Popularity as Speaker Claims 90% Approval
According to a CNN poll published on July 17, just 42% of Americans approve of President Trump.
House Speaker Mike Johnson recently made a bold claim about President Donald Trump’s approval rating, stating that it has reached an extraordinary 90 percent. But newly released polling data tells a different story.
Speaking on CNBC, Johnson praised the president’s standing with the public. “[Trump's] approval ratings are skyrocketing,” he said. “CNN had a story a day or two ago — he was at a 90 percent approval rating! There's never been a president that high.”
However, the actual data paints a less dramatic picture.
According to a CNN poll published on July 17, just 42 percent of Americans approve of President Trump. Only 37 percent of respondents said they believe he has the right priorities for the country. Similarly, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found 41 percent approval, while The Economist’s polling indicated that 55 percent of Americans disapprove of the president’s performance.
The most favorable recent poll came from Rasmussen Reports, showing 50 percent approval as of July 18. Still, none of these results come close to Johnson’s cited figure.
So where did the 90 percent number come from? According to MSNBC, Johnson was likely referring only to Republican respondents. The CNN poll he mentioned shows that 88 percent of Republicans approve of Trump. Johnson appears to have rounded that up and presented it as a reflection of the entire population.
According to a CNN poll published on July 17, just 42 percent of Americans approve of President Trump.
Despite Trump's inner circle framing his popularity as record-breaking, the highest recorded presidential approval rating actually belongs to Bill Clinton, who once reached 66 percent. Ronald Reagan followed with 63 percent, and Barack Obama peaked at 59 percent during his time in office.
At the bottom of the list is Richard Nixon, whose approval dropped to just 24 percent before his resignation.
Despite Trump's inner circle framing his popularity as record-breaking, the highest recorded presidential approval rating actually belongs to Bill Clinton, who once reached 66 percent.
Win McNamee
Trump’s approval rating during the first 100 days of his presidency in 2017 was 42 percent, nearly identical to CNN’s current figure. These results suggest that, while Trump remains highly favored within his party, the broader American public remains more divided.