Trump Challenges Poll Accuracy, Alleges Media Distortion of Public Sentiment

Hand pointing at fake news through magnifying glass

President Trump ignites a firestorm against recent polls showing declining approval ratings, calling them “fake news” while demanding investigations into major media outlets for alleged polling manipulation.

Quick Takes

Trump specifically targeted polls by The New York Times and ABC/Washington Post, claiming they’re deliberately skewed against him.
He cited respected pollster John McLaughlin who allegedly confirmed the polls were “fake” and manipulated.
Trump claimed the polls oversampled Democrats, with only 37% Trump voters in the NYT poll and 34% in the ABC/WP poll.
The polls showed Trump with a 42% approval rating and “lowest ratings for first 100 days of any president since World War II.”
Trump went as far as suggesting media outlets should be investigated for “election fraud” and called them “the enemy of the people.”

Trump Denounces Recent Approval Ratings as Manipulated

President Donald Trump has launched a scathing attack against several major media outlets over their recent polling data. The polls, conducted by The New York Times and a joint effort between ABC News and The Washington Post, reportedly showed the president’s approval ratings declining significantly during the first 100 days of his administration. Trump vehemently rejected these findings, labeling them as deliberately manipulated and calling for investigations into the organizations behind them. His response highlights ongoing tensions between his administration and mainstream media outlets that have characterized much of his presidency.

The New York Times poll showed Trump’s approval rating at just 42%, while the Washington Post/ABC poll indicated he had the lowest ratings for the first 100 days of any president since World War II. These figures prompted a forceful response from the president, who took to social media to dispute their validity. Trump has consistently challenged polls that portray his administration in a negative light, frequently describing such reports as attempts by a biased media establishment to undermine his presidency and influence public perception against him.

Claims of Statistical Manipulation

At the center of Trump’s criticism is an allegation about the demographic composition of the poll respondents. He specifically claimed that the polling samples were deliberately skewed to include a disproportionately low number of his supporters, resulting in artificially negative approval ratings. According to the president, The New York Times poll included only 37% Trump 2024 voters, while the ABC/Washington Post poll had an even lower percentage at 34% Trump voters – numbers he described as “unheard of” unless the goal was to produce negative results.

“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.

To bolster his argument, Trump cited renowned pollster John McLaughlin, whom he described as “one of the most highly respected in the industry.” According to Trump, McLaughlin confirmed that the polls in question were “fake polls from fake news organizations.” This reference to an industry professional appears designed to lend credibility to his claims that the polls were methodologically flawed and intended to damage his public standing rather than accurately reflect public opinion.

Calls for Investigation and Strong Accusations

The president’s response went beyond mere criticism to include demands for formal investigation. “These people should be investigated for ELECTION FRAUD, and add in the Fox News Pollster while you’re at it,” Trump declared, expanding his criticism to include Fox News, which has occasionally published polls unfavorable to him. The accusation of “election fraud” in relation to polling represents a significant escalation in rhetoric, suggesting that misleading polls could potentially influence electoral outcomes.

“The New York Times has only 37% Trump 2024 voters, and the ABC/Washington Post Poll has only 34% Trump Voters, unheard of numbers unless looking for a negative result, which they are. These people should be investigated for ELECTION FRAUD, and add in the Fox News Pollster while you’re at it. They are Negative Criminals who apologize to their subscribers and readers after I WIN ELECTIONS BIG, much bigger than their polls showed I would win, loose a lot of credibility, and then go on cheating and lying for the next cycle, only worse,” he continued.

Trump’s statement culminated in strong language about the media, accusing news organizations of suffering from “Trump Derangement Syndrome” and describing them as “TRULY THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE!” He suggested that the American press is no longer “Free and Fair,” claiming they almost exclusively publish negative stories about his administration regardless of his achievements. This characterization of the media as enemies of the people has been a recurring theme throughout Trump’s political career and reflects his ongoing battle against what he perceives as systemic media bias.

Border Security Achievements Highlighted

Amid his criticism of the polls, Trump took the opportunity to highlight what he considers a major achievement of his administration: border security. He specifically mentioned “99.9% at the Border, BEST NUMBER EVER!” This reference appears intended to contrast what he sees as concrete accomplishments with what he portrays as unfair media coverage. The border security issue has been central to Trump’s political platform since his first presidential campaign, and he has consistently emphasized it as an area where his policies have been successful.

“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.