CNN Data Guru Harry Enten Stunned by Trump's 'Atrocious' Polling Numbers

There are moments in political analysis when the data just… well, it just takes your breath away. And according to CNN’s chief data analyst, Harry Enten, we’re squarely in one of those moments when it comes to President Donald Trump’s latest approval ratings. Speaking on CNN News Central with anchor John Berman, Enten didn’t mince words, describing the president’s polling as "absolutely awful," "atrocious," and frankly, showing "no bottom" for his public support. It’s a pretty dire assessment, indicating a level of public discontent that’s genuinely historic.

Let's talk numbers, because that’s where the story really gets stark. Recent polls paint a consistently grim picture. A CNN poll pegged President Trump’s approval at just 34%. Meanwhile, an AP-NORC survey showed him at 33%, and then there’s the Quinnipiac University poll, which recorded an all-time low for the president at a mere 32%. When you average these out, as of July 31, 2026, President Trump’s approval rating hovers around a rather dismal 33%. It’s tough to spin numbers like that.

But how bad is "historic," really? Enten put it into sharp perspective, noting that Trump’s current approval ratings are significantly lower than those of his recent predecessors at similar points in their second terms. For instance, Barack Obama was at a more robust 41%, and even George W. Bush registered 38%. To find a president with a lower approval rating at this stage of a second term, you’d have to rewind all the way back to 1974, landing squarely on Richard Nixon during the tumultuous period leading up to his resignation. That, my friends, is a comparison that sends shivers down any political strategist’s spine.

And it's not just a fleeting dip, either. This slide has been happening for a while now. According to Enten's meticulous average of polls, President Trump has actually maintained a negative net approval rating for an entire year, stretching back to March 12, 2025. By March 11, 2026, that grim anniversary had already passed. It's a consistent downward trend, not just a one-off bad poll, suggesting a more entrenched dissatisfaction among the electorate.

Now, if you want a statistic that truly jumps out, let's talk about gas prices. Enten specifically highlighted President Trump's disapproval rating on this particular issue as "staggering" – a whopping 79%. "No president has been hated more when it comes to gas prices," Enten declared, sounding genuinely surprised, perhaps echoing his famous Charles Barkley comparison. This isn’t just a slight majority, it's an overwhelming consensus, and it's the highest disapproval rating on record for any president regarding fuel costs. For context, George W. Bush's disapproval rating on gas prices in 2006 and Barack Obama's in 2011 weren't anywhere near this level of widespread public ire.

What makes this 79% figure even more remarkable is the breadth of its reach. It's not just partisan griping. We're talking 52% of Republicans expressing disapproval, which, let's be honest, is a pretty significant chunk of his own base. Add to that 85% of Independents and a near-unanimous 96% of Democrats, and you've got a public sentiment that transcends political lines. It really does underscore the depth of public frustration on this one issue, making it a truly formidable challenge for the administration.

So, when Harry Enten, a man whose job it is to sift through countless data points, calls the president's numbers "atrocious" and observes "no bottom," it's not just hyperbole. It's an expert assessment based on hard facts, indicating a presidency grappling with some of the lowest approval ratings in modern history, driven by broad dissatisfaction on key issues like the economy and, specifically, those soaring gas prices. It certainly leaves one wondering where the trajectory goes from here.