CNN polling guru quotes Happy Gilmore to show how badly Trump is faring with the public on affordability

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

CNN’s resident polling expert has warned that President Donald Trump can “wave adios, amigos” to Republican control of Congress if his dismal approval ratings on inflation do not improve.

On the CNN News Central program Monday morning, chief data analyst Harry Enten reached into the depths of 90s pop culture to explain how badly Trump is doing on one of the key issues behind his 2024 election victory.

“Americans say inflation is the number one issue facing them right now. And to quote the great Happy Gilmore, according to them, ‘the price is wrong’ when it comes to the President of the United States,” Enten said.

That was in reference to Adam Sandler’s 1996 golfing comedy, in which the title character fights The Price is Right host Bob Barker before gloating: “The price is wrong, b****.”

Enten then showed off polls from NBC, CBS, Ipsos, and others that put Trump’s net approval ratings on inflation at between -36 and -47 points.

Trump, a frequent golfer, recently claimed that he ‘hoped’ gas prices would be down by the 2026 midterms but that they might be ‘a little bit higher’ (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)

“Across all of these polls, Trump is in his worst position ever on the issue that the American people say over and over and over again is their key number one issue,” Enten said.

It comes after U.S. inflation suffered its largest year on year increase since May 2024 due to Trump’s war on Iran, which has strangled the global supply of oil and driven fuel prices soaring.

The situation has alarmed many of Trump’s political allies, with one anonymous GOP House member telling Politico: “If you are a Republican and not concerned right now, you are stupid.”

Despite this, Trump’s National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett told CNBC Monday morning: “The golden age that President Trump promised is starting to be very visible in the profit data, but also more importantly in the wage data.”

That led Massachusetts Democrat Jim McGovern to snipe back: “Gas prices are at their highest level since the pandemic. Inflation is surging. Grocery prices are near record highs. Housing costs are through the roof. Does that sound like a golden age to you?”

In Monday’s segment, Enten pointed out that Trump had gone from leading Kamala Harris by seven points on inflation to being, on average, 42 points down on the issue.

“Trump got reelected to a second term, and Joe Biden got pushed to the curb, in large part because Americans felt he couldn’t handle inflation,” Enten said.

He went on: “The strengths that Donald Trump once had with the electorate, the things that got him elected to a second term, you can wave ‘adios, amigos’, goodbye to them…

“Even though Trump isn’t on the ballot come November, a lot of Republicans in Congress are on the ballot.

“And if these numbers hold, you can wave adios, goodbye, see you later, to certainly that House majority and maybe that Senate majority as well.”