ON THE BRINK

Delusional Trump, 80, Invents Approval Rating as Disaster Looms

The delusional claim came in the form of a 1,300 word Truth Social post.

Donald Trump is claiming he has near-total Republican support, despite his party facing a looming midterm disaster.

The delusional claim came in the form of a Truth Social post by the 80-year-old president, where he lashed out at comedian Bill Maher.

It was his longest Truth Social post ever—more than 1,300 words.

The outburst came just days after the pair shared dinner at the White House on October 15, alongside sports commentator Stephen A. Smith and musician Kid Rock.

Trump had initially described the gathering as a success, telling reporters that Maher “likes me a lot more than people understand” and adding, “I actually like him. It was a good dinner.”

Maher had also spoken positively about the dinner. But any apparent goodwill evaporated during Friday’s show, when the comedian mocked Trump, calling him “half sane” and claiming he had the lowest approval rating of any midterm candidate ever.

DOWNWARD DON

Trump Hits Rock Bottom as His Own Party Sours on Him

Martha McHardy

Trump responded by branding Maher a “complete and total loser” and telling him not to seek another meeting at the White House.

But it was the approval ratings jab that really upset Trump.

“I have High Ratings and, more importantly, he said that I’m losing the support and approval of the Republican Party when, in fact, CNN just came out with a Poll showing that I’m at 98 and 99% support within the Republican Party, an All Time Record High,” Trump wrote.

There is a significant problem with that claim: CNN pointed out that their latest poll, released last week, put Trump’s approval rating among Republicans at 74 percent — a record low in the network’s polling, not an all-time high.

The figures Trump cited appear to stem from an earlier clip featuring CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten discussing a separate poll showing near-unanimous support for Trump among self-identified MAGA Republicans.

That is a much narrower group than the Republican Party as a whole. By presenting the figures as evidence of overwhelming support among all Republicans, Trump appeared to conflate the loyalty of his political base with the broader party electorate.

The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment.

And the distinction could prove critical as the midterm elections approach.

Play Video

Trump and his party have been losing ground since he launched his war with Iran in February.

The war has caused fuel prices to spike. AAA figures show the average price of gas in the U.S. at $4.27 a gallon, while diesel stands at $6.35.

And Americans are not happy about it, including Republicans.

REDRAWING A BLANK

Republicans Secretly Admit Trump’s Plot Is Crumbling

Martha McHardy

CNN’s survey found that roughly two-thirds of respondents, including around one-third of Republicans, believe Trump’s policies have made economic conditions worse. Nearly seven in 10 said he had not done enough to bring prices down.

Younger Republicans appear particularly dissatisfied, giving Trump ratings roughly 20 points lower than older party members on his handling of the economy, inflation and priorities.

And that anger is now translating into a serious warning sign for Republicans ahead of the midterms.

The RealClearPolling average gives Democrats an eight-point lead on the generic congressional ballot, raising the prospect that Trump’s party could lose control of the House.

Several congressional districts that Trump won by double-digit margins in 2024 have also become competitive, putting Republican lawmakers in increasingly precarious positions as voters prepare to head to the polls.

Behind closed doors, some Republicans are reportedly growing alarmed about their prospects.

Carlos Curbelo, a former Republican congressman who lost his competitive Florida seat during Trump’s first midterm elections in 2018, described the current political climate as exceptionally difficult for the party.

“The environment is about as tough as one could expect,” Curbelo told Politico. “There is no one who has privately stated that they believe Republicans can hold the House—not in recent weeks, anyway.”

See more of our coverage in your search results.

ADD THE DAILY BEAST ON GOOGLE

Martha McHardyReporter

Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.