President Donald Trump is insisting “I call my own shots” and that any negative polling data is “fake news.”
He wrote the message in a tweet at around 7 a.m. on Monday, and while it’s unclear what prompted the tweet, it might have been spurred on by several negative polls last week. There was one poll last week that showed that some voters weren’t happy with Trump’s executive order that bars citizens from seven countries from entering the U.S.
However, Rasmussen Reports’ daily tracking polls shows that Trump’s approval rating has been steadily increasing. Meanwhile, another poll found that the majority of Americans think the media is “too tough” on Trump.
Regarding Trump’s “I call my own shots” comment, it might be in reference to constant media speculation about the people close to him—namely former Breitbart chief Steve Bannon—giving him advice.
As Politico reported last week, Trump’s support is likely more significant than the polls show.
“Traditional phone polls that use live interviewers—including some of the most trusted polls in politics and media—report limited support for Trump and the controversial executive orders he’s signed. But automated phone and Internet-based surveys tell a different story. Once the element of anonymity is added, the president’s approval ratings suddenly look a lot better,” it wrote.
Trump wrote in full: “I call my own shots, largely based on an accumulation of data, and everyone knows it. Some FAKE NEWS media, in order to marginalize, lies!”
I call my own shots, largely based on an accumulation of data, and everyone knows it. Some FAKE NEWS media, in order to marginalize, lies!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 6, 2017
He added: “Any negative polls are fake news, just like the CNN, ABC, NBC polls in the election. Sorry, people want border security and extreme vetting.”
Any negative polls are fake news, just like the CNN, ABC, NBC polls in the election. Sorry, people want border security and extreme vetting.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 6, 2017
