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Hassett Smiles, Sidesteps Whether Trump Is Being Shown Only 'Rosy' Poll Numbers

Kevin Hassett, the White House economic director, smiled awkwardly when asked whether President Trump is shown only positive polls. Host Jake Tapper contrasted the president's triumphant social-media post with recent national surveys indicating weak confidence on inflation and low economic approval. Hassett refused to confirm any selective briefing, instead pointing to positive economic indicators and claiming real wages have risen. He also warned that public sentiment can fall quickly after events like a government shutdown.

01:02 AM, 11/24/2025Politics
Hassett Smiles, Sidesteps Whether Trump Is Being Shown Only 'Rosy' Poll Numbers

Kevin Hassett, director of the White House National Economic Council, offered an awkward smile as he avoided a direct answer when asked whether President Trump is being shown only favorable polling results. The exchange occurred during a televised interview on Sunday when host Jake Tapper pressed Hassett about what polling information is being briefed to the president.

Tapper cited a Truth Social post in which the president wrote, "I HAVE JUST GOTTEN THE HIGHEST POLL NUMBERS OF MY 'POLITICAL CAREER.' While my great work on the Economy has not yet been fully appreciated, it will be! Things are really Rockin'." Tapper contrasted that claim with recent national survey results showing 75% of respondents saying the president is not focused enough on lowering prices and another poll showing just 38% approval for his handling of the economy.

Drawing an analogy to a passage from Kamala Harris's book, 107 Days, in which a former White House adviser described presenting polls in reassuring terms, Tapper asked plainly whether President Trump might be receiving selectively framed or overly positive polling information.

Hassett declined to take the bait directly. "Well, Jake, as you know, I'm not the poll expert, but the people that are are briefing the president all the time," he replied with a tight grin. Rather than explain the origin of the figures the president cited, Hassett shifted the conversation to economic indicators, saying there have been a number of positive movements in the economy.

He argued that real wages are higher now than they were under the previous administration and suggested that voters will ultimately judge their situations by whether they feel financially better off. "In the end, people are going to look at their pockets and decide, am I ahead or am I not? And I think that they're going to find that they're ahead," Hassett said.

Although he avoided confirming whether polling data is being filtered before reaching the president, Hassett did acknowledge that public sentiment can sour quickly after political disruptions. "If you look at sentiment — which isn't exactly the same as polling — sentiment tends to go really south when there's a government shutdown," he noted, warning that such events can change public views rapidly.

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