Trump Plays Old CNN Praise at Rally Hours After Same Analyst Calls His Poll Numbers 'Absolutely Garbage'

Donald Trump replayed a CNN clip praising his support among MAGA Republicans at a Georgia rally on Friday, hours after the same analyst had called his inflation polling 'absolutely garbage' on air. The old clip featured CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten discussing the president's standing with his core supporters.

Enten made the remarks about inflation on The Source with Kaitlan Collins on Thursday, 15 October. Trump played the earlier clip at a rally in Dalton, Georgia, on Friday, 16 October.

The Clip Trump Keeps Playing

The segment Trump has played at rallies contrasts two measures of his support among MAGA Republicans. It cites his 99 per cent share of their vote in 2024 and a 98 per cent approval rating among the same group in a later measure. These figures refer to different measures and should not be read as a direct comparison.

'That support is really holding up strong,' Enten says. 'It's really, really strong,' Mediaite reported. A second graphic showed 53 per cent of Republicans naming Trump as the president they most admired, compared with 18 per cent for Ronald Reagan and 8 per cent for Abraham Lincoln.

Trump first played the clip at a rally in Clarksville, Tennessee, on Saturday, 10 October. He introduced it as a rare departure from the 'fake news media' and, when it ended, told the crowd: 'Thank you, CNN!'

He played it again in Kalispell, Montana, on Wednesday, 14 October. 'He's very good,' Trump said of Enten afterwards. 'Oh, thank you. Thank you. That's an honor.' He then joked, 'He may not have a job tomorrow, but these are minor details.'

Trump's repeated use of the clip stands in contrast to his frequent attacks on CNN, which he has regularly called 'fake news.'

'Absolutely Garbage; They're Trash'

On Thursday 15 October, Enten appeared on The Source with Kaitlan Collins, with Boris Sanchez sitting in as host. His assessment of the wider electorate was blunt. 'Trump's numbers are absolutely garbage; they're trash,' he said, according to the CNN transcript.

Enten said Trump had 'the highest disapproval rating of all time when it comes to inflation going into a midterm election', and 'the worst inflation net approval ratings that I've ever seen for any president', going back to Jimmy Carter. 'He's the first guy ever to hit minus 50 points or worse than that on inflation,' he added.

He singled out one figure from a new Fox News poll, which he cited on air, as the number that matters most: only 18 per cent of respondents said they were better off financially than two years ago.

If the election were held today, Enten said, Democrats would be favoured to win the Senate, potentially reaching 52 or 53 seats, a projection that depends on current polling holding.

Two Datasets, One Analyst

Less than 24 hours later, according to the political commentator Acyn, the older clip was back on the screens in Dalton. He posted the two segments side by side on X. 'Trump just played an older clip of Harry Enten at his rally to suggest he has a lot of support,' he wrote. 'Here is what Enten said last night: Trump's numbers are absolutely garbage and trash.'

The clips concern different measures. The earlier segment focused on support among MAGA Republicans, while Thursday's analysis covered voters' views on inflation and the broader electoral environment.

The 99 per cent figure refers to Trump's 2024 vote share among MAGA Republicans; the 98 per cent figure refers to approval among that group in a later measure. CNN also aired a segment titled 'Harry on Harry' on 13 October, in which Enten discussed Trump thanking him at rallies. Enten previously wrote for FiveThirtyEight.

The Dalton rally was held to support Republican Senate candidate Mike Collins, who is challenging Senator Jon Ossoff, and Republican gubernatorial nominee Rick Jackson. Governor Brian Kemp did not attend, citing a family obligation, according to CBS News Atlanta. Election Day is 3 November, and Georgia's Senate race is among those that could affect control of the chamber.

Trump also attacked his opponents at the rally. He mocked Ossoff's appearance, calling him 'Pee-wee Herman,' and alleged, without presenting evidence, that protesters chanting 'ICE out' had been paid $250 (approximately £188) each, Newsweek reported. He again falsely claimed that Ossoff's January 2021 runoff victory over David Perdue was rigged.

Ossoff said he was surprised Georgia Republicans wanted Trump in the state. He argued that Trump and Collins had backed policies that pushed up the cost of groceries, fuel and healthcare, CBS News Atlanta reported. His comments echoed the affordability concerns Enten had discussed the previous night.