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Former MSNBC host Chris Matthews argues that President Trump is gaining traction with the American public, despite several major polls showing his approval ratings near historic lows.
Speaking with journalist Charlie Rose on Saturday, the former Hardball anchor dismissed recent findings from Gallup and CNN, which placed Trump’s approval at 37% and 41% respectively—figures just slightly above where he stood following the January 6 Capitol riot.
“To be honest with you, the country is moving towards Trump,” Matthews said. “These polls, they come out and show him not doing well — I don’t buy that.”
“His strength is still greater than the Democratic strength. He is a stronger public figure than the Democratic people,” Matthews added. “Obama still has tremendous charisma — but Trump has strength. And I think that’s what all voters look for. They want a president who is a strong figure. And he’s got it. It’s just there. And half the country buys it.”
Despite Matthews’ assessment, national surveys indicate Trump’s overall support has dipped roughly six months into his second term. The Associated Press–NORC Center for Public Affairs Research also pegged his approval rating at 40%, a figure that lags behind past presidents at this point in their second terms.
Nonetheless, Trump continues to enjoy overwhelming support from his base. A recent CNN poll found that 88% of Republicans still support him, with a Quinnipiac poll showing that number as high as 90%, slightly up from previous surveys.
Trump recently pointed to those figures in defending himself amid renewed scrutiny over his administration’s response to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
“My Poll Numbers within the Republican Party, and MAGA, have gone up, significantly, since the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax was exposed by the Radical Left Democrats and, just plain ‘troublemakers,’” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
This isn’t the first time Matthews has voiced support for Trump since stepping away from MSNBC in 2020. In April, he praised the president’s actions against Harvard University after the school was accused of failing to address antisemitism on campus. Matthews called the administration “smart” for targeting the university’s grant funding, saying it sent the right message in response to rising antisemitism nationwide.
