Donald Trump blasted CNN and MSNBC as failing networks in a weekend Truth Social post, but surprised many by publicly praising CNN’s pollster Harry Enten, urging the network not to fire him.
On Saturday, former President Trump took to Truth Social to deliver a broadside against the mainstream media, labeling CNN as being in a “DEATH SPIRAL” and suggesting that “literally, nobody is watching either Network!” He extended his criticism to MSNBC, renaming it “MSNOW” and declaring it beyond saving. Yet in the same breath, Trump offered a rare commendation for a CNN employee, calling pollster Harry Enten “the best person on CNN” and telling the network, “Don’t fire him!”
Trump’s praise for Enten stemmed from the analyst’s willingness to showcase polling that put Trump’s popularity among Republican voters far ahead of historical figures. “He was willing to show that Donald J. Trump is six times more popular than Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, or any other President,” Trump wrote, adding, “He’s got Credibility.” The poll cited by Enten showed 53 percent of Republican respondents naming Trump as the president they most admired, with Ronald Reagan at 18 percent and Abraham Lincoln at just 8 percent.
These numbers came directly from Enten’s on-air breakdown. “Abraham Lincoln, who by most historic accounts is the greatest president of all time. But Republicans say the president they most admire by, what is this, six or seven times as many, is Donald John Trump at 53 percent. Easily crushing Abe Lincoln at 8 percent,” Enten explained. His willingness to air data favorable to Trump has not gone unnoticed by the former president, even as Trump continues to hammer the networks themselves for what he calls “fake news.”
Trump’s post went further, saying CNN “can be turned around with new leadership and anchors (MSNOW cannot!), because a Great Brand can never truly be destroyed.” While blasting anchors and management, Trump made clear that Enten’s approach to polling set him apart in Trump’s eyes.
The former president’s feud with major networks is nothing new, but the latest round of criticism comes as CNN faces declining ratings and internal challenges. Trump’s Truth Social posts have routinely labeled CNN and MSNBC as biased and out of touch, but his comments on Saturday were particularly direct. “CNN is in a DEATH SPIRAL, and so is MSNOW, the new name for MSDNC. Literally, nobody is watching either Network!” he wrote.
Yet his comments about Harry Enten stood out. Instead of the usual blanket condemnation, Trump pointed to Enten’s willingness to present polling unflattering to the media narrative. “The best person on CNN is Pollster Harry Enten,” Trump wrote. “He’s got Credibility (Don’t fire him!).” This was a notable departure from Trump’s usual rhetoric about the network’s staff.
Enten, who has been with CNN for eight years and is 38 years old, has also not shied away from tough economic news, describing recent inflation data as “the ugliest numbers I have ever seen on inflation.” These moments of candor have earned him respect in some corners, even as the broader network remains a target for Trump and his supporters.
Trump’s clash with CNN did not stop at the polling desk. Just days before his Truth Social posts, Trump had sharp words for CNN correspondents Kristen Holmes and Kaitlan Collins. Holmes, a senior White House correspondent with more than 14 years at the network, attempted to ask Trump a follow-up question about South Korea during an August 17 White House exchange. Trump told her, “Quiet. Quiet. Quiet!” and accused her of being “very disrespectful in front of this young man,” referring to 10-year-old Nathaniel Rai, who was being recognized that day. He further called Holmes “a loud, boisterous person” and repeated his familiar insult: “You’re fake news.”
CNN’s leadership quickly defended Holmes and Collins. A spokesperson said, “Public officials are free to challenge reporting they disagree with, but personal attacks on journalists for asking questions are beneath the office and inconsistent with the principles of a free press. We stand firmly behind Kristen and reject these attacks in the strongest possible terms.” The spokesperson also described Kaitlan Collins as “an exceptional, trusted journalist being honored tonight for her depth of knowledge and the context she provides to audiences all over the world.”
Trump, for his part, has repeatedly criticized Collins, even referencing her in a previous White House Correspondents’ Dinner speech and making personal remarks about her demeanor. “She’s a young, attractive woman, but she never smiles,” Trump said, urging, “Smile! You have a nice position, you’re at CNN fake news. You should be a happy person.”
The media feud has also drawn in official and partisan voices. After Holmes’ exchange with Trump, the Rapid Response 47 account, a social media feed described as the “official White House social media account”, attacked Holmes, saying, “Someday, your children will come across your disgusting and inhumane question. They will be sickened and embarrassed to have a parent be so callous and vindictive. It’s quite troubling.”
The White House itself did not hold back, reportedly calling Holmes “a disgraceful, humiliating embarrassment to her alleged profession.” On the other side, CNN’s spokesperson insisted, “She reports every day from the White House and the field with real strength, tenacity and skill, and brings that reporting to the anchor chair and CNN platforms every day. We stand by her to the fullest extent.”
At the heart of Trump’s praise for Enten was a willingness to air polling data that runs counter to liberal talking points. The poll Enten cited showed a clear majority of Republicans preferring Trump over every other past president, including Lincoln and Reagan. And when it comes to issues like inflation, Enten has not sugarcoated the data, calling out “the ugliest numbers I have ever seen on inflation” and noting that inflation had risen six percent over the prior year. At the same time, another CNN poll found that 77 percent of Americans believed Trump’s policies had increased their cost of living.
These figures point to a divided media environment, with networks struggling to maintain credibility and audiences. Trump’s latest remarks capture this reality: he sees CNN as a “Great Brand” that could still be saved, but only with sweeping changes, except, apparently, for Harry Enten, whose candor he finds refreshing.
For more details on Trump’s Truth Social post, see Daily Mail’s reporting.
In an era when trust in media is at an all-time low, even the harshest critics can spot the difference between party-line spin and honest reporting. That’s what makes Trump’s nod to Enten so telling, and so rare.
