A recent poll by Rasmussen Reports revealed that 54% of likely U.S. voters believe the media are “truly the enemy of the people,” with 28% strongly agreeing. Meanwhile, 41% disagree, including 28% who strongly oppose this view.
Trump denounced “fake news” in 2019 after the Mueller Report found no evidence of “Russian collusion.” The percentage of voters who view the media as the “enemy” has only slightly declined from 58% in 2021. The survey, conducted from January 29 to February 2, 2025, included 1,325 respondents and has a margin of error of ±3 percentage points.
By a 20-point margin, more voters believe the press is anti-Trump than pro-Trump. Forty-one percent feel that reporters aim to obstruct Trump’s agenda, while 21% believe they are trying to help him. Among those who view reporters as obstructing Trump, 79% agree the media are “truly the enemy of the people.”
Party affiliation shows that 64% of Republicans, 17% of Democrats, and 44% of independents think reporters are trying to block Trump’s agenda. Conversely, 30% of Democrats believe reporters aim to help him, compared to 16% of Republicans and independents.
Seventy-eight percent of Republicans, 35% of Democrats, and 49% of independents at least somewhat agree that the media are “truly the enemy of the people.” Among racial demographics, 43% of white voters, 30% of Black voters, 42% of Hispanic voters, and 46% of other minorities share this view, with Hispanics being the most inclined to agree.
Regarding income, those earning over $200,000 are more likely to believe that reporters aim for unbiased news, while those making between $50,000 and $100,000 are more likely to agree the media are “truly the enemy of the people.” Among voters who strongly approve of Trump’s performance, 90% support the idea that the media are the enemy.
Additionally, by a 13-point margin, more voters approve than disapprove of Trump’s policy regarding transgender individuals in the military. Two-thirds of voters also back Trump’s order for federal employees to return to their offices, ending the work-from-home policies established during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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