Quick Take: CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten said President Trump’s net approval fell from +6 in January to -12 in December 2025, an 18-point drop. The decline was concentrated among independents, whose net approval plunged from about -1 to -43. Ratings on the economy and immigration also slipped sharply, and outside polls show weak public confidence in his economic stewardship. Enten warned the trend could presage midterm losses for the president’s party.
CNN Data Expert: Trump’s Approval Rating Collapses in 2025 — Independents Drive the Slide
Enten goes over the numbers on CNN. / CNN
President Donald Trump saw a sharp decline in public approval over 2025, CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten reported on Inside Politics Sunday. Enten highlighted a dramatic swing in the president's net approval rating across the year and identified independent voters as the chief driver of the drop.
Big Picture
According to Enten's analysis, Trump’s net approval moved from +6 in January to -12 in December — an 18-point decline over the course of the year. The fall was especially severe among independents: their net approval of Trump went from about -1 in January to -43 in December, a 42-point deterioration.
“Look, 2025 was not exactly the best year for the president of the United States. He started off in pretty gosh darn good territory, right? Trump’s net approval rating in January, he was 6 points above water, pretty much above where he was during his entire first term in office. But look what happens come December—12 points underwater. Way, way down there. That is an 18-point decline during the course of the year,”
Enten pointed squarely to independents as the critical factor:
“Now, what has driven Donald Trump’s decline in his net approval rating? Well, it’s independents. That is the name of the game, baby,”he said.
Enten used a dry quip to underline the scale of the shift among independents:
“Donald Trump is hanging out with Jacques Cousteau. That is how far underwater Donald Trump is with independents at this point.”
Trump's economy caused despair amongst voters, according to Enten. / Alex Wong / Getty Images
Policy Drivers
Two policy areas that weakened Trump’s ratings were the economy and immigration. On economic competence, his net approval fell from +9 in January to -16 in December (a 25-point drop). On immigration, his net score declined from +9 to -6 (a 15-point drop) over the same period.
Independent polling reinforced the political headwinds. A YouGov/CBS survey found more than 61% of respondents believe the president is portraying prices and inflation more optimistically than reality, and 45% expect his policies will leave them financially worse off in 2026. An AP-NORC poll released earlier this month showed just 31% of respondents view his economic stewardship positively.
Political Consequences
Enten warned the trend likely bodes poorly for the president’s party in upcoming midterm elections:
“Based upon history, it doesn’t look too good for the man in charge of the White House right now,”he said.
The White House was contacted for comment.
Note: Jacques Cousteau was a French oceanographer famous for exploring the world’s oceans; Enten’s quip used Cousteau as a metaphor for how far "underwater" Trump is with independents.
Help us improve.
