Former President Donald Trump has launched a fierce attack on the polling industry, calling for criminal investigations into firms he accuses of publishing "fraudulent" figures designed to manipulate public opinion and influence political events.
Truth Social Outburst Targets Pollsters
In a Monday post on his Truth Social platform, Trump insisted that "fake and fraudulent polling should be, virtually, a criminal offense." He claimed poll results are intentionally skewed to sway public sentiment, specifically referencing the 2020 presidential election which he lost to Joe Biden.
"Something has to be done about fraudulent polling," Trump declared, concluding his post with the statement: "I am going to do everything possible to keep this polling scam from moving forward!"
Mounting Evidence of Declining Support
Trump's outburst appears to have been triggered by a series of recent polls showing his popularity in significant decline across multiple issues. A New York Times/Siena poll released last week showed Trump with 56 percent disapproval and only 40 percent approval among respondents.
Even Rasmussen Reports, which typically produces more favorable numbers for Trump than other polling models, showed the former president with 52 percent disapproval and 47 percent approval in a survey conducted January 19-25. No recent polling has shown Trump with higher approval than disapproval ratings.
Steady Decline Throughout Second Term
Tracking data since the start of Trump's second term reveals a dramatic 26-point drop in his average net approval rating. This represents a shift from approximately positive 12 percent approval earlier last year to negative 14 percent approval currently.
The controversy surrounding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations appears to be contributing significantly to Trump's declining numbers. A YouGov/Economist poll released January 13 found that only 34 percent of Americans believe ICE operations are making the country safer, while 47 percent think the mission is making the United States less safe.
Highly Polarized Views on Immigration Enforcement
The issue reveals deep political divisions, with 77 percent of Republicans believing ICE is making the US safer compared to just 3 percent of Democrats who share that view. The poll was conducted following the ICE shooting of Renee Good, which occurred before the highly criticized killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, Minnesota over the weekend by Department of Homeland Security agents.
Media Outlets Specifically Targeted
Trump specifically named several news organizations he claims are conducting and publishing "fraudulent polling," including the New York Times, ABC News, NBC News, CBS News, CNN, and MSNBC. He also included typically more favorable outlets like Fox News and the Wall Street Journal in his criticism.
"There are great pollsters that called the election right, but the media does not want to use them in any way, shape, or form," Trump posted. "Isn't it sad what has happened to American journalism."
Focus on Alleged Election Influence
Rather than addressing concerns about how Department of Homeland Security operations might be affecting his approval ratings, Trump appears primarily focused on prosecuting pollsters he believes published fraudulent results that showed him in a negative light and contributed to his 2020 election loss.
The former president maintains that pollsters were "knowingly wrong" and that "they knew what they were doing" by publishing what he claims are intentionally incorrect poll figures designed to influence political outcomes.
