As President Donald Trump approaches the 100-day mark of his second term in April 2025, left leaning legacy media, like CNN, ABC and MSNBC, have widely reported that he holds the lowest 100-day job approval rating of any U.S. president in the past 80 years.
Legacy media refers to traditional news outlets, such as major newspapers (e.g., The New York Times, The Washington Post), television networks (e.g., CNN, ABC, NBC), and radio stations, that have long-established reputations and large audiences.
These outlets often shape public opinion through reporting and journalism. Some people see them as leaning left, with a 2023 study showing 62% of their journalists favor liberal or Democratic views compared to just 15% favoring conservative or Republican views.
So given that many journalists working for these news outlets tend to lean toward one particular viewpoint, the possibility of unbiased reporting diminishes.
We’ll explore whether left-leaning media bias plays a role.
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Which News Outlets Reported Trump’s Low Approval Rating?
Several prominent legacy media outlets have highlighted Trump’s historically low 100-day approval rating, including:
- ABC News: Reported on April 27, 2025, that Trump’s approval rating is the lowest in 80 years, citing an ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll.
- The Washington Post: Published articles noting Trump’s declining approval, tying it to economic discontent and policy pushback.
- The New York Times: Covered Trump’s approval rating extensively, with a Times/Siena poll showing a 42% approval and 54% disapproval rating.
- Reuters: Reported a dip in Trump’s approval, particularly on economic handling, with a Reuters/Ipsos poll showing only 37% approving of his economic performance.
- Forbes: Tracked Trump’s approval, noting a 53% disapproval rate in a recent survey.
- USA Today: Cited Rasmussen Reports showing a 47% approval rating as of April 25, 2025.
- Newsweek: Highlighted a Fox News poll with a 44% approval rating, lower than previous presidents at the 100-day mark.
- CNN: Noted declining approval on immigration, with a Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos poll showing 46% approval on immigration handling.
- Pew Research Center: Reported a 40% approval rating, down 7 points from February 2025.
These outlets, many of which are considered left-leaning by critics, have framed Trump’s presidency as struggling early in its second term, focusing on economic concerns, tariffs, and immigration policies.
Who Was Polled?
The polls cited by these outlets surveyed a range of demographics, typically U.S. adults or registered voters, with varying sample sizes and methodologies:
- ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos Poll: Surveyed U.S. adults, finding 73% believe the economy is in bad shape and 53% say it worsened under Trump.
- New York Times/Siena Poll: Polled 913 registered voters from April 21-24, 2025, with a 3.8-point margin of error. It reported a 42% approval rating and 54% disapproval.
- Reuters/Ipsos Poll: Conducted over six days ending April 21, 2025, surveying U.S. adults, with 37% approving of Trump’s economic handling.
- Fox News Poll: Surveyed registered voters, ending April 21, 2025, showing 44% approval and 55% disapproval.
- Pew Research Center: Surveyed 3,589 U.S. adults from April 7-13, 2025, reporting a 40% approval rating.
- Economist/YouGov Poll: Polled 1,625 U.S. adults from April 19-22, 2025, with 41% approval and 54% disapproval.
- Harvard Kennedy School Survey: Focused on 2,096 young adults (18-29) from March 14-25, 2025, finding 61% disapproval.
- AP-NORC Poll: Surveyed 1,229 U.S. adults from March 20-24, 2025, with 56% disapproving of Trump’s performance.
These polls often vary in their demographic focus and question phrasing, which can influence results.
For example, younger voters, who lean Democratic, showed higher disapproval in the Harvard survey, while Rasmussen Reports, considered more conservative, reported a higher 50% approval in mid-April.
Legacy media, like ABC News and The Washington Post, said Donald Trump’s approval rating after 100 days in 2025 was the lowest in 80 years at 39%, based on a poll.
This issue is that more people were polled in urban, city areas (68%) than rural people (12%), even though rural voters strongly support Trump. This uneven sampling, not mentioned much by the media, might make his disapproval seem worse than it is, mixing truth with possible bias.
Polls are not immune to bias, and several factors suggest the reported numbers may be skewed:
- Outlet Leanings: Many reporting outlets, such as The New York Times, Washington Post, and CNN, are perceived as left-leaning, with editorial stances often critical of Trump. This can influence which polls they highlight or how they frame results.
- Poll Design: Question wording, sample size, and demographic weighting can affect outcomes. For instance, the Harvard survey’s focus on young adults, a reliably Democratic-leaning group, showed higher disapproval (61%).
- Timing: Polls conducted during April 2025 coincided with tariff announcements and economic turbulence, potentially depressing Trump’s numbers temporarily.
- Margin of Error: Most polls have margins of error (e.g., 3.8% for Times/Siena, 3.9% for AP-NORC), meaning results are estimates, not definitive.
Conversely, polls like Rasmussen Reports, which lean conservative, showed Trump’s approval as high as 52% in mid-April, suggesting a divide in polling outcomes based on methodology and outlet bias.
Critics of legacy media argue that the omission of these higher ratings in favor of lower ones reflects an agenda to portray Trump’s presidency as failing.
The reported approval ratings vary across polls but generally show Trump ratings lower than usual (more disapproval than approval):
- ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos: Lowest in 80 years, with specific numbers not detailed but tied to 73% negative economic views.
- Pew Research Center: 40% approval, 60% disapproval as of April 13, 2025.
- New York Times/Siena: 42% approval, 54% disapproval (net -12) as of April 24, 2025.
- Fox News: 44% approval, 55% disapproval as of April 21, 2025.
- Reuters/Ipsos: 37% approval on economic handling, with overall approval around 44% in late April.
- Economist/YouGov: 41% approval, 54% disapproval as of April 22, 2025.
- Rasmussen Reports: 47% approval, 51% disapproval as of April 25, 2025, with a peak of 52% earlier in April.
- Gallup: 44% approval, 53% disapproval as of April 14, 2025.
Historically, Trump’s 40-44% approval is lower than most presidents at 100 days, including Joe Biden (54%), Barack Obama (62%), and George W. Bush (63%). Only Bill Clinton’s 49% in 1993 comes close among recent presidents.
Public reaction, as seen in X posts and media coverage, is polarized:
- Critics of Trump: Many on X celebrated the low ratings, emphasizing economic discontent and policy pushback.
- Trump Supporters: Supporters argue the polls are skewed by biased media. On X, some dismissed the numbers, pointing to Trump’s strong GOP support (86% approval among Republicans in the Economist/YouGov poll). Others noted that tariff-related economic fears may be temporary.
- General Sentiment: Polls show widespread economic concern, with 75% of CBS News/YouGov respondents saying tariffs will raise prices and 65% believing they’ll worsen the economy. Immigration approval is also low, with a Quinnipiac poll showing a -10% net approval on deportations.
The public’s divided response mirrors the split, with Democrats (92% disapproval) and Independents (59% disapproval) driving negative numbers, while Republicans remain supportive.
Cast Your Vote: Do You Approve of Trump’s Job Performance?
We want to hear from you! Do you approve or disapprove of President Trump’s performance as he nears 100 days in office? Cast your vote below and see how others feel:
Poll Below: Do you approve of President Donald Trump’s job performance as of April 2025?
Results will be updated in real-time, so check back to see where public sentiment stands!
Fact, Bias, or a Bit of Both?
The claim that Donald Trump has the lowest 100-day approval rating in 80 years is backed by multiple polls from reputable sources, with ratings ranging from 37% to 47% approval.
However, the heavy coverage by left-leaning legacy media, coupled with selective poll highlighting, raises valid concerns about bias. Economic fears, tariff backlash, and immigration policies are driving disapproval, but Trump retains strong GOP support and has shown resilience in past polling slumps.
As you weigh the numbers, consider the sources, and your own perspective. Share your vote above and join the conversation about Trump’s presidency in 2025.
Do you approve of President Donald Trump’s job performance as of April 2025? – Approve – Disapprove – Unsure
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