Trump’s 39% – Gillian Turner used an on-air Fox News poll showing Donald Trump’s approval at 39% to press RNC Chair Joe Gruters on Trump’s sagging numbers while Turner was filling in on “The Story with Martha MacCallum.” Gruters brushed off the concern, pointing to GOP base
For the second act of a busy Tuesday broadcast, it wasn’t policy or personnel that dominated the conversation—it was approval ratings.
Gillian Turner. filling in as host of “The Story” with Martha MacCallum on Tuesday. turned to Republican National Committee Chair Joe Gruters and zeroed in on a Fox News poll graphic that put President Donald Trump’s approval rating at 39%. Turner called it “remarkable” to see Trump maintain what she described as an “ironclad” grip on the GOP even as the numbers slipped.
“The Story” flashed a graphic showing Trump’s 39% approval rating in the network’s latest poll from last week. It also showed the latest AP-NORC poll giving Trump a 37% approval rating and the most recent Wall Street Journal poll putting him at 41%. Turner didn’t let Gruters move past it.
“It is remarkable that with the president’s rating at around 39%, according to the latest Fox News poll, he is able to, you know, maintain an ironclad support from across the party, across the lines right now,” Turner said. “It’s something that I’m not the first person to comment on.”
Gruters didn’t sound alarmed. He argued that Trump’s standing inside the Republican coalition holds steady with the party’s base.
“Listen, he’s well-supported by the party base and the base loves the president,” Gruters said. “The president is the leader of our party and when he makes a decision and comes out and endorses candidates, those candidates usually win.”
He added that the focus for the party would stay on winning—beginning with primary contests and carrying momentum through November.
“But no matter what happens, we are going to be there to make sure we pick up the flag of our primary winner and we’re going to make sure we take them all the way through the November race and make sure that we’re going to be successful in winning this Texas seat,” Gruters said.
A moment earlier, Gruters had pointed to results he said reflected Trump’s influence: Trump-endorsed candidates went 37-0 in GOP primaries last week. He also bashed Texas Democratic candidate for Senator James Talarico, and sounded as though he referred to him as “Talafreako.”
Still, the exchange carried a quiet tension—one that party leaders tried to defuse with talk of base loyalty, but that outside voices have kept pressing. While Gruters suggested Trump isn’t losing traction among fellow Republicans, some pundits are not convinced.
Megyn Kelly said last week that Trump’s MAGA base was an “increasingly tiny group” that now includes only “loyalists” who are similar to cult members.
Gillian Turner Joe Gruters RNC chair Donald Trump approval rating Fox News poll AP-NORC Wall Street Journal poll GOP primaries Texas Senate seat James Talarico Megyn Kelly
39% seems low but also like… the GOP base is literally allergic to approval ratings anyway.
So she’s mad because a poll says 39? Polls change every week. Also Fox is showing their own poll so it’s kinda like using a mirror.
Wait I thought Joe Gruters said Trump was at 39 because the base is “ironclad”?? Like if everyone loves him why is he sagging? I’m confused. Are they talking about approval like with Democrats too or just inside the party?
The whole thing is just cable news math. One poll says 37, one says 39, one says 41, so obviously they’re all right and wrong at the same time. Meanwhile candidates win cause the party tells them to win… idk. Sounds like they’re trying to spin it as “no big deal” instead of fixing whatever’s dropping.