The public overwhelmingly disapproves of Donald Trump’s response to anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles.
Trump deployed thousands of national guard troops in L.A. earlier this month in response to the protests. He claimed the move saved the city from ‘completely obliteration’ despite the protests being confined to downtown LA and the rest of the city functioning normally and local leaders including California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) calling the move “reckless” and “pointless”.
He later deployed hundreds of active-duty Marines to the city as protests continue along with an additional 2,000 national guard members. Local leaders say the city’s law enforcement was effectively handling the situation until Trump intervened.
On Friday, CNN’s senior data analyst Harry Enten declared that “Donald Trump has lost the political battle!” in Los Angeles over immigration protests.
“Donald Trump’s net approval rating on the Los Angeles process is way, way, way underwater at minus 15 points,” Enten said in a clip highlighted by Mediaite.
“Among independents or those who don’t identify with either major party? Way even lower. Look at that, minus 24 points on the net approval rating,” Enten continued. “This is happening on what should be one of Donald Trump’s, in fact, the best issue for Donald Trump, immigration. And yet when it comes to these Los Angeles protests, 15 points underwater overall and 24 points underwater among independents. No good.”
Enten also cited other troubling numbers for Trump as his administration ramp up immigration arrest.
“49% say Trump’s gone too far when it comes to the immigrant arrests compared to just 40% who say he’s not gone too far,” Enten said. 51% of independents say Trump’s immigration arrests have gone too far. 54% of voters also disapprove of ICE arrests at workplaces and 45% approve.
“If the protesters idea was to focus the attention on Donald Trump and bring attention to his immigration policies and bring attention to the arrests that have been occurring of immigrants, it seems to me that those protests have been successful,” Enten said.
“This is his core issue. And he’s losing on his core issue at this point,” he added. “Again, he is losing in these protests.”
