‘Not Hurting Him at All’: CNN Analyst Shares Bleak Shutdown News for Democrats

CNN’s chief data analyst, Harry Enten, delivered a tough message for Democrats on Monday. As the government shutdown drags into a new week, recent polling suggests that President Donald Trump is handling the political fallout better than many anticipated.

Shutdowns Hit Differently This Time

Referencing the latest AP-NORC survey data, Enten told CNN host John Berman that shutdowns affect Trump’s approval in distinct ways, especially when comparing his current term to his first.

While the 2018–2019 shutdown caused a sharp decline in Trump’s popularity, Enten pointed out that his approval rating today remains stable — with even a slight improvement.

“Shutdowns are different the second time around when it comes to Donald Trump,” Enten said. “Twenty days into the 2018-2019 shutdown, his net approval rate was already falling by 3 points and kept dropping. But this shutdown hasn’t hurt his support at all.”

Trump’s Approval Rating Holds Steady

In fact, Enten explained, Trump’s net approval rating has actually increased by 1 point during the current shutdown.

“The first shutdown during Trump’s first term was clearly hurting him,” Enten added. “This one is not hurting him at all. Politically, there’s no strong reason for Trump to want to end this shutdown, at least in terms of popular support.”

The Blame Game Has Changed

When Berman asked about blame for the shutdown, Enten highlighted a significant shift.

“In 2018-2019, 61% of Americans blamed Trump ‘a great deal’ for the shutdown,” Enten said. “Today, that number has dropped to 48%. That’s a 13-point decrease.”

This drop in blame partly explains why Trump’s approval has remained steady despite the ongoing shutdown.

Trump’s Governing Strategy Is Different

Berman also asked if Trump’s approach during this shutdown differs from before. Enten pointed out that Trump is relying more on executive orders rather than the legislative process, which remains stalled.

“By this point in 2017, Trump had signed 50 executive orders,” Enten noted. “This year, he’s already signed over 210 — the highest number in a single year since Franklin Delano Roosevelt.”

Enten concluded by reminding viewers that with two months left in the year, Trump could still issue many more executive orders.