Trump thanks CNN for MAGA praise despite Harry Enten flagging his 53-point inflation approval drop
WASHINGTON, DC: Donald Trump loved a recent CNN segment praising how much MAGA Republicans still support him.
At his rally in Clarksville, Tennessee, he played a clip of Harry Enten, CNN’s chief data analyst, breaking down his poll numbers.
Trump thanked CNN in front of the crowd, clearly relishing the spotlight. He showcased polling data showing that his hold on the Republican base has barely slipped since 2024.
Trump celebrates CNN poll showing strong MAGA support
“Of all groups, from CNN, can you believe that?” Trump marveled before his rally team played the video on the giant screen behind him. The crowd then heard Enten explain that Trump’s support among MAGA Republicans had barely dipped, from 99% to 98%, since 2024.
𝐂𝐍𝐍 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐋: 𝐑𝐄𝐏𝐔𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐌𝐏 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐀𝐃𝐌𝐈𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐆𝐎𝐏 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑, 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐏𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐆𝐀𝐍 A CNN segment played on the big screen at Trump’s Clarksville, Tennessee rally — and for once, the numbers were too good for the president to leave alone. CNN’s data analyst Harry Enten walked through a CNN/SSRS poll of self-identified Republicans. “𝘈 𝘮𝘢𝘫𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘙𝘦𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘺, 53% 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘦𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘥𝘮𝘪𝘳𝘦.” Enten said. Ronald Reagan, the man the GOP has measured every nominee against for forty years, came in at just 𝟏𝟖%. Abraham Lincoln — “𝘣𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘤 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦”, per Enten’s own framing — drew just 8%. Enten summed it up on air: “53%, 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘈𝘣𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘯 𝘢𝘵 8%.” Watching the segment play at his own rally, Trump couldn’t resist turning it toward the network itself: “𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩. 𝘊𝘕𝘕. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘊𝘕𝘕.” It’s self-identified Republicans only — not the general public, where his approval sits far lower — but inside his own party, the gap over history’s most mythologized presidents isn’t close. 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐂𝐍𝐍 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐮𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬. Source: @EricLDaugh https://t.co/sfeSTbwJPA
— M.A. Rothman (@MichaelARothman) October 10, 2026
Enten said that was a positive sign for the GOP heading into the midterms because those MAGA supporters said they planned to back Republican candidates.
“That support is really holding up strong,” Enten said. “It’s really, really strong.”
He then pointed to a poll showing Trump leading the field when it comes to the presidents Republicans “most admire.”
Trump received 53% of the votes, nearly tripling the 18% who selected Ronald Reagan and easily surpassing the 8% who picked Abraham Lincoln.
The crowd cheered as Enten rattled off the pro-Trump statistics, while the president occasionally looked away from the video playing over his shoulder to scan and smile at the audience. “Thank you, CNN!” Trump said when the video ended.
The moment was notable given Trump’s frequent criticism of CNN, which he has repeatedly accused of providing unfair coverage.
This time, however, the president had no hesitation about using the network’s own data to bolster his political message.
Harry Enten warns of Trump’s declining inflation approval
The timing couldn’t have been more striking.
While Trump showcased a flattering video at his rally, Enten appeared on CNN discussing the president’s declining numbers on inflation, an issue that is shaping up to be significant for Republicans heading into the midterms.
CNN's Harry Enten reports Donald Trump is at -38 net approval in Pew Research polling, making him the only president below -30 in a pre-midterm survey. Trump is -57 among independents after tying in 2024, even as he tells voters to treat the midterms as if he is on the ballot. https://t.co/3EW2glQr34
— Furkan Gözükara (@FurkanGozukara) October 10, 2026
Enten pointed out that affordability and inflation had worked in Trump’s favor during the 2024 presidential race against former Vice President Kamala Harris.
Now, however, he said the political landscape had shifted, with the situation looking very different from just a short time ago.
Before playing the clip, the president said it was a positive segment that went against the “fake news media” narrative, which he said was “trying to demoralize Republican voters with bad journalism and rigged polls.”
Enten said the situation had completely flipped over the past two years, with Trump’s net approval rating on inflation dropping from +8 to -45 points heading into November.
“Oh my goodness gracious!” Enten yelped. “He is 45 points underwater on the key issue of inflation, what is that? That’s a switcheroo of 53 points in the wrong direction.”
