War-weary President Donald Trump took a trip down memory lane to recall a long-ago time when he wasn’t sagging so badly in the polls.
Trump, 79, has been busy presiding over a new war this month, and as he struggles to find an exit strategy, his mind has wandered to better times.
On Truth Social on Monday evening, the president shared three articles from January about crowds cheering for him at a college football game between the Miami Hurricanes and the Indiana Hoosiers. Clearly missing the adulation he enjoyed just months ago, Trump shared a story from one of his favorite titles, the Gateway Pundit.
The article, from Jan. 19, centred around the College Football Playoff National Championship final at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. Trump clearly loved the title, which read in part: “Crowd Goes WILD for Trump During National Anthem.”
A former aide told the Washington Post in 2024 that the publication was a “reliable place he knew he could go for validation.”
During his mini-posting spree, he also sought validation from Breitbart, once described as “Trump’s personal Pravda.” Pravda was the official newspaper of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.
The Breitbart story he shared also centred around adulation from the college football crowd. “Trump Cheered During National Anthem at College Football National Championship Game,” the headline said.
He shared a similar fawning headline from Outkick, which started as a sports and culture site but has evolved into a political commentary platform with a strong conservative slant. “Prez Trump Draws Massive Crowd Reaction At CFP Title Game In Miami,” its headline said.
The cheering of crowds might be a distant memory for Trump as polls suggest his favorability is tanking. The New York Times runs a daily average of polls conducted by dozens of different organizations since Inauguration Day. The average sits at a meagre 41 percent approval rating.
Polling suggests the war has landed poorly with the public and done little to lift Trump’s standing. Multiple surveys show a clear majority of Americans opposing military action against Iran and disapproving of the president’s handling of the conflict.
Trump’s overall approval rating has been underwater for a long time. CNN pollster Harry Enten said earlier this month that Trump has now had a net negative approval rating for 365 days in a row.
