Mike Johnson recently garnered attention during a CNBC News segment where he fervently lauded former President Donald Trump, asserting that his approval ratings were on the rise. Johnson specifically referenced a statistic from CNN, claiming that Trump’s approval had surged to 90 percent—an unprecedented level for any U.S. president, according to his statements.
Nevertheless, this assertion was promptly refuted by the actual CNN poll published on July 17. The survey revealed that merely 42 percent of Americans approved of Trump’s performance, and only 37 percent felt he was addressing the appropriate issues. These statistics illustrate a consistent trend observed in other polls, indicating a more complex public perception than Johnson implied.
Additional polling from credible sources provides a clearer understanding. A Reuters/Ipsos survey indicated a 41 percent approval rating for Trump, while The Economist/YouGov poll revealed that 55 percent of respondents disapproved of his performance. The highest approval rating among recent polls was reported by Rasmussen Reports, which found Trump at 50 percent—still significantly lower than the 90 percent Johnson cited.
The inconsistency in Johnson’s statement likely arises from a misunderstanding or misrepresentation of party-specific approval. CNN’s data indicates that 88 percent of Republicans support Trump, a figure that Johnson may have rounded up to 90 percent and erroneously presented as general approval. MSNBC highlighted that he may have been referring solely to Republican support levels, rather than national sentiment.
Historically, Trump’s popularity does not compare favorably to that of other presidents. Bill Clinton achieved the highest approval peak at 66 percent, followed by Reagan and Obama. In contrast, Trump holds the lowest 100-day approval rating in the past 60 years, coinciding with the 42 percent he currently maintains.
