Trump Blasts ‘Fake’ Approval Polls, Threatens Lawsuit Against New York Times/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Donald Trump attacked new approval rating polls showing weakened support, especially among independent voters. He labeled the New York Times/Siena results “fake” and threatened to add them to a lawsuit against the Times. Trump also claimed “fraudulent polling” should be treated like a criminal offense, escalating his war with pollsters.
Quick Look:
- Donald Trump slams a recent New York Times/Siena College poll showing a dip in his approval rating, especially among independents.
- Trump threatened to sue The New York Times, calling the poll “fake” and “fraudulent.”
- In a Truth Social post, Trump argued polling manipulation should be a criminal offense.
- A similar lawsuit involving Iowa pollster Ann Selzer is still pending.
- Trump previously sued the Times over claims made in the book Lucky Loser.
Trump Denounces New Poll Numbers, Calls Results “Fake News”: Deep Look
President Donald Trump is once again lashing out at media outlets and pollsters after a new survey showed his approval rating slipping, especially among independent voters. Taking to Truth Social on Friday, Trump labeled the data “fake” and accused the New York Times of intentionally misleading the public — and threatened legal action.
“The Times Siena Poll, which is always tremendously negative to me… will be added to my lawsuit against The Failing New York Times,” Trump wrote. He further claimed his legal team had “demanded” that the Times preserve all records related to how the poll was conducted, vowing to hold the outlet “fully responsible for their Radical Left lies.”
The poll in question — conducted jointly by the New York Times and Siena College — found:
- Trump’s overall approval rating: 40%
- Disapproval rating: 56%
- Among independent voters, only 34% approved of Trump’s job performance
- 52% of independents said the country is worse off than a year ago
Trump Threatens Legal Action Over Polls
This is not Trump’s first time targeting pollsters in court. In 2024, Trump filed a defamation suit against Iowa pollster Ann Selzer and the Des Moines Register after a poll suggested he was trailing ahead of the Iowa caucuses. Trump later won Iowa, and the lawsuit remains pending.
In his latest posts, Trump escalated his rhetoric, writing:
“Fake and Fraudulent Polling should be, virtually, a criminal offense.”
The statement sparked renewed concerns over Trump’s repeated efforts to delegitimize unfavorable media and data, particularly from mainstream outlets.
Background: Trump vs. The New York Times
In addition to challenging poll results, Trump has long targeted the New York Times for its investigative reporting. His defamation lawsuit against the outlet also includes objections to the 2024 book Lucky Loser by Susanne Craig and Ross Buettner. In the book, the authors detail Trump’s financial history, including a claim that he received over $400 million from his father through questionable tax schemes — an allegation Trump denies.
A New York judge dismissed the original lawsuit in 2025, but Trump refiled the case in Florida, continuing to dispute its claims.
Times Responds
In response to the latest threats, New York Times spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander said:
“President Trump likes polls that appear favorable to him and dislikes polls that do not.”
The Times did not comment further on any pending legal matters.
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