Let’s critically examine the claims made by Donald J. Trump in this post, focusing on his accusations against The New York Times, ABC/Washington Post, and Fox News polls, as well as his broader assertions about election fraud and media bias.
Claim 1: The New York Times and ABC/Washington Post polls are “fake” and deliberately biased, with only 37% and 34% Trump 2024 voters, respectively, despite Trump receiving 50% of the popular vote.
Fact-Check:
- Context of the Polls: Trump is referencing approval rating polls conducted by The New York Times/Siena College and ABC News/Washington Post, which reported his approval rating at 42% and 39%, respectively, in April 2025. These polls also included samples with 37% and 34% of respondents identified as Trump 2024 voters, which Trump claims is evidence of deliberate bias since he won approximately 50% of the popular vote in the 2024 election.
- Analysis of Sampling: Polls are designed to reflect a representative sample of the population, not necessarily the exact voter breakdown of a past election. The 37% and 34% figures reflect the proportion of Trump 2024 voters in these specific samples, which may differ from the election outcome due to factors like turnout, demographic weighting, or survey response rates. For example, nonresponse bias-where Trump supporters are less likely to respond-has been a documented challenge in polling during the Trump era. However, there’s no evidence that these polls deliberately underrepresented Trump voters to skew results. Both organizations use standard, transparent methodologies, including probability-based sampling and weighting to align with demographic and political characteristics.
- Popular Vote Claim: Trump’s claim of receiving 50% of the popular vote is roughly accurate. In the 2024 election, he won approximately 49.9% of the popular vote (73 million out of 146 million votes, with final counts still being tabulated). However, approval rating polls measure current sentiment, not past voting behavior, so expecting them to mirror the 2024 election results is misleading. Public opinion can shift post-election due to policy decisions, economic conditions, or other factors.
- Verdict: False. The claim that these polls are “fake” because of the proportion of Trump voters in their samples is unsupported. Differences in sample composition are expected in polling and do not indicate fraud or deliberate bias. The methodologies of The New York Times and ABC/Washington Post are consistent with industry standards, and there’s no evidence of manipulation.
Claim 2: The pollsters should be investigated for “election fraud” because of their allegedly biased results.
Fact-Check:
- Definition of Election Fraud: Election fraud typically involves illegal activities like vote tampering, ballot stuffing, or voter impersonation. Conducting a poll, even if flawed or biased, does not constitute election fraud, as polls are private surveys of public opinion, not part of the electoral process. There’s no legal basis for classifying polling as election fraud.
- Evidence of Fraud: Trump provides no evidence to support the claim that these polls were fraudulent. His campaign pollster, John McLaughlin, argues the polls are biased because they underrepresented Trump voters, but this is a methodological critique, not proof of criminal activity. Historical polling errors, such as underestimating Trump’s support in 2016 and 2020, have been attributed to issues like nonresponse bias or weighting errors, not intentional fraud.
- Verdict: False. There’s no evidence that The New York Times, ABC/Washington Post, or Fox News polls engaged in election fraud. Polling inaccuracies or differences in sample composition are not equivalent to criminal acts, and Trump’s call for investigation lacks substantiation.
Claim 3: Fox News pollsters should also be investigated for bias, implying they are part of the same problem.
Fact-Check:
- Fox News Polls: Trump includes Fox News in his critique, though he doesn’t specify which poll. A recent Fox News poll reported his approval rating at 44%, higher than The New York Times and ABC/Washington Post figures. Fox News polls are conducted by Beacon Research (Democratic firm) and Shaw & Company Research (Republican firm), using standard methodologies. There’s no evidence of deliberate bias in their sampling or results.
- Context of Inclusion: Trump’s inclusion of Fox News, a generally conservative-leaning outlet, may reflect frustration with any negative polling, even from sources typically favorable to him. However, without specific evidence of misconduct, this accusation is baseless.
- Verdict: False. There’s no evidence that Fox News polls are fraudulent or biased in a way that warrants investigation. Their methodologies align with industry standards, and their results are consistent with other reputable polls.
Claim 4: These pollsters are “Negative Criminals” who apologize after Trump wins elections “much bigger than their polls showed” and then continue “cheating and lying.”
Fact-Check:
- Polling Accuracy in 2024: Pre-election polls in 2024 underestimated Trump’s support, as they did in 2016 and 2020, but the errors were not as severe as Trump claims. In battleground states, Trump’s margin of victory was often within the polls’ margin of error, though national polls underestimated his popular vote share. For example, in Florida, polls predicted a 5-point Trump lead, but he won by 13 points. These errors are consistent with historical polling challenges, not evidence of deliberate cheating.
- Apologies from Pollsters: There’s no record of The New York Times, ABC/Washington Post, or Fox News issuing formal apologies for their 2024 pre-election polls. After 2016 and 2020, some pollsters conducted post-mortems to analyze errors, but these were professional reviews, not admissions of guilt or criminality.
- Cheating and Lying: Trump’s claim that pollsters “go on cheating and lying” is unsupported. Polling firms have adjusted methodologies since 2016, such as weighting for education levels, to address underestimating Trump’s support. Errors persist due to complex factors like nonresponse bias or shifting voter preferences, but there’s no evidence of intentional deception.
- Verdict: False. The characterization of pollsters as “Negative Criminals” who cheat and lie is baseless. Polling errors in 2024 were within historical norms, and there’s no evidence of criminal intent or apologies from these organizations.
Claim 5: Pollsters suffer from “Trump Derangement Syndrome” and “almost only write negative stories” about Trump, despite his accomplishments (e.g., “99.9% at the Border, BEST NUMBER EVER!”).
Fact-Check:
- Trump Derangement Syndrome: This is a pejorative term used by Trump and his supporters to describe perceived irrational bias against him. It’s subjective and not a recognized psychological or professional condition. While some argue media coverage of Trump is disproportionately negative, studies show his coverage is often driven by controversial actions or statements, which attract more attention. There’s no evidence that pollsters’ methodologies are influenced by personal bias against Trump.
- Negative Stories: Trump’s claim that these outlets “almost only write negative stories” is an exaggeration. The New York Times, ABC News, and Washington Post have published stories on Trump’s policy successes, such as economic growth or border security measures, though they also cover controversies extensively. Polls themselves are data-driven and separate from editorial content, so this claim conflates polling with news reporting.
- Border Claim: Trump’s assertion of “99.9% at the Border, BEST NUMBER EVER!” lacks context and evidence. Border security metrics, like apprehensions or deportations, fluctuate and are reported by agencies like U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). As of April 2025, no CBP data supports a “99.9%” success rate, and the claim is vague (e.g., does it refer to apprehensions, deportations, or crossings prevented?). In 2024, border apprehensions were high, with over 2 million encounters reported, though deportations also increased under Trump’s policies. Without specific data, this claim is unverifiable and likely exaggerated.
- Verdict: Mostly False. “Trump Derangement Syndrome” is a subjective term with no empirical basis in polling. The claim of exclusively negative coverage is exaggerated, as these outlets report both positive and negative stories. The “99.9% at the Border” claim lacks evidence and is too vague to verify.
Claim 6: These pollsters are “TRULY THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE” and will continue to be fought by Trump to “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.”
Fact-Check:
- Enemy of the People: This is a rhetorical attack Trump has used against media and institutions he perceives as hostile. It’s subjective and not a factual claim that can be verified. Polling organizations like The New York Times, ABC News, and Washington Post are private entities conducting surveys within legal and professional guidelines. Disputing their results does not make them enemies of the public.
- Fighting to Make America Great Again: This is a campaign slogan and expression of intent, not a factual claim. It reflects Trump’s political stance but doesn’t require fact-checking.
- Verdict: Opinion, Not Fact. The “enemy of the people” label is a subjective opinion, not a verifiable claim. The commitment to “Make America Great Again” is a political statement, not a fact to check.
Overall Assessment:
Trump’s claims are largely false or misleading. The accusations of “fake polls” and “election fraud” against The New York Times, ABC/Washington Post, and Fox News are unsupported by evidence, as these organizations use standard polling methodologies. Differences in sample composition (e.g., 37% or 34% Trump voters) are normal and do not indicate fraud. Historical polling errors, while real, are due to methodological challenges, not criminal intent. Claims of “Trump Derangement Syndrome” and exclusively negative coverage are subjective exaggerations, and the “99.9% at the Border” claim lacks verifiable data. The “enemy of the people” label is rhetorical, not factual. Trump’s post reflects a pattern of attacking institutions that report unfavorable results, but the evidence does not support his allegations of fraud or deliberate bias.