Harry Enten says majority of Americans believe Trump is 'doing what he promised' in 2024 campaign

WASHINGTON, DC: CNN’s senior data reporter Harry Enten revealed on Tuesday, October 7, that a majority of Americans believe President Donald Trump is fulfilling the promises he made during his 2024 campaign.

According to Enten, 52% of voters say Trump is “doing what he promised,” a key factor behind his steady 43% approval rating.

Appearing on CNN, Enten said Trump’s consistency on issues such as the border crisis, inflation, and crime control has helped him maintain voter confidence and a stable favorability rating nearly identical to last year’s. 

Harry Enten says Trump is delivering on his promises

“Donald Trump is who the voters thought he was,” Enten said while analyzing CNN’s latest aggregate data.

“What are we talking about here? Well, is Trump doing what he promised in the 2024 campaign? Yes! Fifty-two percent, a majority of Americans say that Donald Trump is doing what he promised, compared to 48% who said no.”

Enten noted that Trump’s approval rating — 43% currently, compared to 44% in October 2024 — has remained unusually stable.

“Trump has basically the same, steadiest favorable rating this much through a presidency of any president on record, and it’s basically where he was a year ago. Good enough to get him reelected,” he explained.  

Trump’s policies on border, economy, and crime drive stability

Enten attributed Trump’s steady approval to his signature policies, particularly on immigration, the economy, and law enforcement. Trump’s border security initiatives have led to the lowest number of border crossings on record in July and the lowest annual rate since 1970.

As of September, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had arrested more than 300,000 illegal immigrants since Trump’s return to office on January 20.

On the economic front, inflation dropped to a four-year low in May, marking a sharp reversal from the 40-year highs seen under former President Joe Biden.

Trump’s administration also touts a stronger dollar and improved job growth, helping bolster his favorability among middle-class voters. Additionally, crime rates have fallen nationwide, particularly following Trump’s federal takeover of Washington, DC, and the deployment of the National Guard.

The same approach was later extended to Memphis, Tennessee, and is expected to include Chicago, Illinois, in the coming weeks.   

Democrats face tough road ahead of 2026 midterms

Enten also suggested that Trump’s stable support could spell trouble for Democrats heading into the 2026 midterms.

“In reality, what we’re really seeing is that the American public is pretty much steady,” he said. While polls show Democrats with a narrow lead — two points ahead in a New York Times survey and four points ahead in a Yahoo/YouGov poll — Enten warned that those numbers may not be enough to flip the House. “Maybe Democrats can take control of the House where the polling is right now, but maybe not,” he added.

“The bottom line is this, if Donald Trump is where he is, Republicans will remain competitive. If they gain even a little bit, it really wouldn’t be surprising if Republicans were able to maintain control of the House,” Enten concluded.

Trump’s steady voter confidence, rooted in his reputation for doing exactly what he promised, appears to be shaping up as one of the defining storylines of his presidency. As Enten put it, “Donald Trump is doing what the American people thought he was going to do.”