CNN data analyst Harry Enten says Americans' mounting frustration with what they characterize as flagrant corruption has produced a striking verdict in President Donald Trump's latest poll numbers: many voters now see the president himself as part of the "swamp" he once promised to clean up.

"Trump came into Washington on the promise of cleaning up the swamp," Enten said. "They think he is the swamp. They think he is part of that corrupt swamp."

"Drain the swamp" was a signature slogan of Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, and he has invoked it repeatedly throughout his political career. The phrase itself has roots in American political rhetoric stretching back more than a century, but Trump turned it into shorthand for a vow to root out corruption and entrenched special interests in Washington.

The numbers Enten cited come from Reuters/Ipsos polling, which found that a majority of Americans believe Trump profited inappropriately from his cryptocurrency business as he raked in more than $1 billion. That business includes World Liberty Financial, a crypto venture backed by the Trump family, and a meme coin launched under his name days before his January 2025 inauguration — ventures that have drawn criticism from Democratic lawmakers and government ethics watchdogs.

According to that poll, 59 percent of all Americans disapprove of Trump on corruption. Among independent voters, the number is 64 percent. Independent voters are a constituency both parties watch closely in national elections, with control of Congress on the ballot again in the 2026 midterms.

"Up like a rocket," Enten said of the data. "The American people are increasingly believing that Donald Trump is not the person to clean up the swamp."

The polling also found that 69 percent of Americans and 48 percent of Republicans believe Trump's business interests influence his policy.

"When you get 69 percent overall and nearly half of your own Republican base saying that your business interests actually influence your decisions as president," Enten said, "no wonder your disapproval rating on corruption are up, like a rocket, jumping up."

Enten found himself so excited by the data that he actually leapt into the air during the broadcast. Once he had landed, CNN anchor Sara Sidner replied, "And the approval rating going down, down — sinking into the swamp."

Reuters and Ipsos conduct their tracking surveys on a recurring basis, and subsequent releases will show whether the corruption numbers Enten spotlighted continue on the trajectory he described.

Source: Raw Story