Harry Enten Says Trump Is Now Facing The Comparison He Dreads Most

On Jan 29, 2026

Confidence in the economy under President Donald Trump is tanking, CNN’s chief data analyst Harry Enten noted on Tuesday.

“The economy and inflation ate Joe Biden’s presidency alive and now it is eating Donald Trump’s presidency alive,” he pointed out, citing recent polls.

In January 2022, Biden was polling on the economy with a net approval of -19 percentage points, and Trump, who started his second term at +6 points, is now, at the same point in the term, down at -20.

“Down he goes,” Enten said of Trump. “Down the slide into the ocean he goes.”

“Donald Trump is actually in slightly worse position right now on the economy than Joe Biden was in his presidency,” he added.

pic.twitter.com/eZIvL0IRo4

— (((Harry Enten))) (@ForecasterEnten) January 27, 2026

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The economy ate Biden’s presidency alive, & now it’s doing the same to Trump’s.

Trump’s net approval on the economy (-20 pts) now matches Biden’s at this point in his term.

History says a prez underwater on the economy leads to his party losing the House in the midterms. pic.twitter.com/eZIvL0IRo4

— (((Harry Enten))) (@ForecasterEnten) January 27, 2026

Polling, Enten continued, suggests a vast majority (74%) of Americans think the Trump administration is focusing too little on lowering prices.

Some 53%, however, believe it’s focusing too much on its anti-immigration crackdown and deportations.

Enten predicted bad news for the GOP in the 2026 midterms if the trend continues.

“If the president’s net approval rating on the economy is positive, which Donald Trump isn’t, you keep your House seats loss to a minimal, right? You lose about nine seats on average,” he said. “If his net approval rating on the economy is negative, as it is right now for Donald Trump … it’s a 28-seat loss on average.”

That would mean the GOP waving “goodbye” to its House majority, and possibly its control of the Senate too, he added.