President Donald Trump is polling so poorly with independent voters that it could force Republicans to “wave adios” to their House majority, according to CNN data guru Harry Enten.
“I will say this is the biggest warning sign, the biggest danger sign for President Trump in his second term so far,” Enten said. “Why is that? Because it does not appear that there is a bottom to which Donald‘s support can‘t fall to.”
Trump’s favorability with the vital demographic has dropped off a cliff, with his net approval rating among independents down from -3 percent when he took office to -29 now.
“If you‘re not winning among independents, you‘re probably not winning overall,” Enten said. “And when your net approval rating’s -29 points, you are definitely not winning overall.”
The drop-off is so staggering that it beats Trump’s own record for worst net approval rating with independents at the six-month mark of a presidency: a -23 percent figure posted in his first term.
The disdain for Trump among independents is even more pronounced when it comes to his handling of inflation—an issue that helped Trump win the 2024 election.
While Joe Biden had an atrocious -38 percent rating from independents on inflation, Trump is doing even worse, with a -45 percent rating.
“Oh my goodness gracious,” Enten exclaimed. “I never thought I‘d see the day, especially this early on in the Trump administration. The issue that in large part got him elected is at this point the issue more so than any other that is dragging him down.”
“If this is what we have on midterm day come 2026, I can promise you this: The Republican majority in the House, you can wave adios, amigos,” Enten said, waving goodbye to the camera.
Inflation rose 2.7 percent in June after several months of concern over the effect that Trump’s sweeping and severe tariffs will have on inflation.
Trump has also relentlessly badgered Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell—whom he has called a “moron,” among other things—in an effort to pressure him into lowering interest rates.
Powell, however, has stood strong in his refusal, explaining that doing so in the wake of Trump’s tariffs would send inflation skyrocketing.
