CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip Trump’s Popularity Erodes Ahead Of Annual Speech
Feb 24, 2026
Marilyn Strickland, U.S. Congresswoman focused on civil rights and domestic policy; Mike Lawler, Republican congressman on strategy and security; Josh Gottheimer, New Jersey lawmaker with bipartisan policy views; David Urban, conservative strategist on immigration and national security. They debate sliding approval ratings, reactions to a Supreme Court tariff loss, immigration and deportations, and whether a major speech can sway voters on kitchen-table issues.
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Trump Facing Waning Popularity Before Big Speech
- Trump's approval is slipping with a 36 percent rating and falling independent support ahead of the State of the Union.
- Panel notes his Supreme Court loss on emergency tariffs and his public insistence that polls are "fake," signaling disconnect with voters.
Make Affordability The Centerpiece
- Focus on kitchen table issues like inflation, gas, housing and health care to win over undecided voters.
- Mike Lawler and other panelists argue tariffs and immigration theatrics won't move independents; prioritize affordability messaging in the State of the Union.
Border Wins Shadowed By Enforcement Concerns
- The administration touts border security gains: nine months of net zero illegal immigration and large deportation numbers.
- Panelists dispute tactics, linking aggressive deportation operations to two preventable American deaths and questions about ICE training.