President Donald Trump repeatedly boasted that he has “the best poll numbers [he’s] ever had” in an interview with CNBC on Tuesday morning, even though the majority of Americans disapprove of his performance in the job.
Asked whether he would run for a third term in office despite the fact that the U.S. Constitution’s 22nd Amendment bars him from doing so, Trump replied “probably not,” before going on to say he would like to do so.
“I’d like to run. I have the best poll numbers I’ve ever had. You know why? Because people love the tariffs and they love the trade deal and they love that foreign countries aren’t ripping us off anymore. For years they ripped us off, friend and foe,” Trump said, even though voter surveys suggest otherwise.
Kernen interjected, clarifying that the president enjoys high support among Republican voters, but not the overall electorate. Trump didn’t seem to blink.
“I have the best poll numbers I’ve ever had,” Trump said. “I have poll numbers where I’m 71%.”
“Those are among Republicans,” Kernen replied.
Trump would not relent, insisting Kernen was wrong. Trump also claimed that polls that showed him faring poorly with voters were “fake.”
The source for the figures cited by Trump is unclear. His approval rating currently stands at 44%, according to an average of polls compiled by The New York Times.
An issue that has garnered much attention in recent weeks appears to be a thorn in Trump’s side as a majority of Americans disapprove of his administration’s handling of documents related to the investigation into late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to an Economics/YouGov poll conducted late last month.
