Another day, another number the media probably wishes would quietly disappear.
New polling data is making the rounds showing that President Trump’s approval rating at this point in his second term is higher than both Barack Hussein Obama and George W. Bush at the same stage of their presidencies. For years Americans were told that Trump was uniquely unpopular and politically toxic. The numbers coming out now tell a very different story.
Even more remarkable, one of the most reluctant messengers ended up confirming it on live television.
During a recent segment, CNN analysts were forced to acknowledge that President Trump currently enjoys stronger support within his own party than any president in modern political history at this point in a second term. That is not a small detail. In American politics, party loyalty tends to weaken over time as presidents enter their later years in office. Fatigue sets in, factions emerge, and approval numbers usually drift downward.
That pattern does not appear to be happening here.
According to the data discussed on CNN, Republican voters remain overwhelmingly supportive of President Trump, giving him higher party approval numbers than Obama had among Democrats or Bush had among Republicans during their second terms. Considering the amount of negative coverage Trump has faced over the years, that level of party unity is pretty remarkable.
It also helps explain why Trump continues to dominate the Republican political landscape long after his first presidency ended.
While critics have spent years predicting that Trump’s influence inside the GOP would fade, the opposite has happened. His policy agenda, his messaging style, and his priorities still drive the direction of the party. Republican candidates across the country routinely seek his endorsement because they know his backing carries enormous weight with voters.
That loyalty from Republican voters did not come out of nowhere. Trump built it through a set of policies that resonated strongly with the party’s base. Tough border enforcement, aggressive trade negotiations, energy independence, support for law enforcement, and a willingness to confront political opponents directly all helped cement his standing with conservative voters.
For many Republicans, Trump delivered on promises that previous politicians talked about but rarely followed through on.
The contrast with earlier presidencies is also worth noting. Both George W. Bush and Barack Obama saw their approval numbers within their own parties soften during their second terms as internal disagreements grew and political fatigue set in.
Trump’s situation looks very different.
Whether critics like it or not, the numbers suggest Republican voters remain firmly behind him. And when even CNN analysts acknowledge that level of support on the air, it becomes a little harder for the usual narrative about Trump’s supposed unpopularity to hold up.
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