Donald Trump Can't Escape His Low Approval Ratings—Even During Thanksgiving

Try as he might, President Donald Trump just can't ignore his tanking approval ratings. And this week, they're even following him home for the holidays.

The women's advocacy group UltraViolet announced that it's running a series of anti-Trump TV ads from Tuesday through Sunday in Palm Beach, Florida, where the president will be spending time at his Mar-a-Lago resort. The clips will appear during Fox & Friends and Saturday Night Live, two programs Trump has proven he watches often.

Related: Over 1 million people want Trump impeached, as his approval rating reaches record lows

In the commercial, a peppy narrator takes viewers through a whirlwind list of things Americans say they like more than Trump: the Affordable Care Act, safe access to abortions, paid family leave and the widely mocked band Nickelback.

"Donald Trump is obsessed with his own ratings and popularity—so much so that he continues to prioritize them over issues that actually impact the American people," Nita Chaudhary, co-founder of UltraViolet, said in a news release. "Our message is clear: America rejects Trump and his agenda."

The ad centers on the president's dismal approval rating, which as of Monday was 38 percent, according to Gallup. His numbers have been falling for months: He started out at 45 percent just after his inauguration and has been called the least popular president in modern history, with a disapproval rating of 57 percent.

Poll fanatic Trump has pushed back against findings that his numbers are in the 30s, labeling them "fake news" and tweeting that "some people think numbers could be in the 50s." Politico reported recently that it's gotten to the point where White House aides give Trump poll results specifically intended to make him feel good, like surveys conducted by right-leaning organizations or ones taken just among his base.

"We know Trump doesn't like facts, but these are facts—and ones he cannot deny," Chaudhary said.

UltraViolet has tried to provoke Trump before, launching a similar TV ad campaign when the president took a trip to Mar-a-Lago in March, and playing his inappropriate Access Hollywood remarks on a loop next to the White House for 12 hours last month.

The approval ratings commercials aren't the only resistance Trump will encounter when he flies south to eat turkey. The Palm Beach Post reported that some residents are frustrated with the traffic jams that come with the president, while local business owners are annoyed that the airport has to be shut down for security reasons while he's nearby.

But UltraViolet is hoping he just stays in and watches TV.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer


Julia Glum joined IBT Media in October 2014 as a breaking news reporter specializing in youth affairs.

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