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Did CNN poll give Trump 100%? Fact-checking POTUS approval rating claim amid Iran war, troop deployment
President Donald Trump was heard telling the press that a CNN poll had given him an approval rating of 100% amid the Iran war but that is incorrect.
President Donald Trump was heard telling the press that a CNN poll had given him an approval rating of 100% amid the Iran war, but this is incorrect. Trump was speaking to reporters on Friday when he made the claim.
“I seem to have great support. CNN came out with a poll today that I'm at 100%. They said they have never seen a poll like that. The CNN poll said I'm at 100%.,” Trump said.
His remarks come at a time when Trump has faced criticism at home over the Iran war which has claimed the lives of at least 13 US troop members thus far, and has driven up gas prices across the nation. Meanwhile, US officials told Reuters that the Trump administration is deploying thousands of additional Marines and sailors to the Middle East amid the war with Iran.
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However, Trump's statement is incorrect because it is not a CNN poll that gave him 100% but rather an NBC poll.
Fact-checking Trump's CNN poll claim
"The CNN poll Trump highlighted (and likely called "100%") refers to a recent NBC News survey featured on CNN this week (around March 18, 2026). CNN's chief data analyst Harry Enten broke it down on air, stunned by the results: 100% approval rating from self-identified MAGA Republicans for President Trump—with 0% disapproval!" one person wrote on X.
This has been reported on by The Independent as well, who mentioned that the unanimous backing from MAGA voters had left the CNN analyst surprised.
Reactions to Donald Trump's claims
Several people reacted to Trump's claims about a CNN poll having him at a 100% approval rating. "The only poll I would believe that he polled 100% at is "does Trump use too much spray tan"?," one person said on X.
Another added “Trump doesn't live in reality, his handlers have too much influence and thus power, and no one at his age should be President.”
Yet another said “The CNN poll said 100% among MAGA.”
What do CNN polls say about Trump?
CNN's poll about Trump, which is from February 17 to March 4, has a 38% approval rating for the president and a 59% disapproval rating, a far cry from the 100% approval rating Trump claimed.
This poll aggregated results of NPR/PBS News/Marist College (03/02-03/04), CBS News/YouGov (02/20-02/23), Strength In Numbers/Verasight (02/18-02/20), Reuters/Ipsos (02/18-02/23), CNN (02/17-02/20).
The CNN poll tracker, which tracks multiple other polls also showed the president has a higher disapproval rating than an approval rating.
