CNN political analyst Maggie Haberman said on Monday that there is little evidence in public polling that President Donald Trump remains popular as the midterm elections approach, with voters also showing concern about the cost of living. Speaking on CNN’s The Source with Kaitlan Collins, Haberman, a reporter for The New York Times, said she could not identify any major polling showing the president with strong public support. Polling Shows Deteriorating ApprovalCollins cited new CNN polling that placed Trump’s net approval at minus 32 percentage points, compared with minus 21 points for the Republican Party overall. Haberman said the broader picture is difficult for Trump, particularly on affordability. She added that her comments reflected polling she had seen publicly, while noting that surveys do not always match private polling she has encountered. Even so, she said the underlying trend is damaging. According to the polling cited, Trump’s approval has fallen to its lowest point between his two terms. The shift comes as the widely unpopular war involving Iran moves into its sixth month and Americans continue to worry about rising prices. White House Highlights “Affordability”Haberman also pointed to an Oval Office event on healthcare earlier on Monday, where administration officials repeatedly raised “affordability”. She said this is a theme Republicans in vulnerable congressional districts may struggle to address. Trump has previously dismissed affordability as a “hoax” promoted by Democrats, but Haberman said the message is still likely to create political problems for candidates trying to defend their seats. “You have Republicans who are in these districts that are embattled,” she said, adding that they may not want to focus on affordability as part of their campaigns. Trump Aims For Midterm Vote TurnoutDespite weak approval ratings, Trump and senior Republican figures have sought to position the president as a central figure in the party’s midterm strategy, with the goal of energising support from his base. In the run-up to November voting, Trump told supporters to treat him as if he were “on the ballot” when they cast their votes, as Republicans aim to increase turnout. Haberman’s remarks underscored the challenge of pairing a turnout drive with polling that shows Trump under pressure across key measures of public approval. Dispute With Haberman Over Sept. 11 StoryTrump has also clashed with Haberman in the past over her coverage. The president has, on several occasions, called her “Maggot Haberman” in criticism of her reporting. More recently, he attacked her following a New York Times story about his plans for the 25th anniversary of the 11 September attacks. Haberman and three other Times journalists reported that Trump planned to skip a New York City ceremony commemorating the anniversary and instead attend the Irish Open after event organisers denied his request to speak. The Times reporting said politicians’ speeches have been banned by the National September 11 Memorial and Museum since 2012. Trump responded by saying Haberman had “falsely writing about me for years”, and he accused her of being a stalker, adding that she should be required to hand over money he said she made through “fake reporting”. According to the Times, Trump is expected to attend a memorial service at the Pentagon this month on the anniversary of the attack, while Vice President JD Vance would represent the White House at the New York event. Join the discussion? 2 September 2026
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