CNN data analyst Harry Enten says President Donald Trump's habit of playing favorable clips of his segments at campaign rallies presents a misleadingly rosy picture of the president's standing, arguing that the footage cherry-picks supportive polling while omitting broader numbers that tell a far less flattering story. The clash underscores the distance between the snapshots of support showcased on the rally stage and the fuller polling record CNN's own data presents — a gap that carries added weight with midterm elections approaching.

"If you had told me a decade ago that I would a) be on CNN, and b) the president of the United States would be playing clips of mine at his rallies… I don't think I would have bought it for a minute. I'd put the chance at 1 in a million… and that may have been high," Enten told CNN correspondent Brian Stelter. "Here's what I'll say: I think you can watch my segments, short and long. The MAGA GOP is just a small part of them. They help tell a story, but it's not the full story."

The dispute stems from footage Trump showcased during a rally in Texas this week, where he touted polling figures he described as "really sort of amazing because CNN did them," using the network's own data to bolster his claims of widespread popularity. "They have to be credible when they're positive," Trump said of CNN, a striking shift given his past criticism of the network. The moment also shows how campaign rallies can repurpose broadcast news segments as political material, pulling a network's own data into partisan messaging.

The clips feature Enten highlighting Trump's overwhelming support among MAGA Republicans, noting that the president captured 99% of their vote in 2024 and later earned a 99% approval rating among the same group. In another segment, Enten declared Trump the most admired president among Republicans, ranking ahead of both Ronald Reagan and Abraham Lincoln. "Such an honor," Trump said of the footage. "Thank you. Thank you, CNN."

Enten, however, views Trump's use of the material as both selective and "laughable," particularly given current data showing the president has lost supporters. The contrast illustrates how subgroup figures among a loyal party base can diverge sharply from nationwide toplines that also capture independents and opponents — a distinction pollsters routinely stress. Heading into the upcoming midterm elections, Trump's approval rating has declined sharply: only 34 percent of Americans are happy with his performance as president, according to CNN's polling. Approval ratings are among the standard barometers of the political environment a party faces at the ballot box, and Enten has said the figures reveal a troubling reality for the GOP. "The reality check is this: Donald Trump has never been more unpopular in his second term in office," he said of the president in May.

Trump has long maintained an adversarial relationship with CNN, making his recent praise of the network's polling a notable departure from his usual rhetoric and prompting questions about whether he is using the data to tell a false narrative. He has repeatedly attacked the network and its journalists, accusing them of spreading "fake news" and portraying CNN as dishonest, corrupt, and politically biased against him and Republicans. As recently as last month, Trump defended his decision to bar CNN and other news outlets from the White House. How the gap between the rally clips and the full polling record evolves through the midterm cycle — and whether Trump keeps spotlighting data from a network he routinely disparages — remains an open question heading into the election season.

This article is based on reporting by Alternet.