Facts Matter: Trump’s approval rating has dropped
President Donald Trump recently took to his Truth Social platform to talk about himself.
“I HAVE JUST GOTTEN THE HIGHEST POLL NUMBERS OF MY ‘POLITICAL CAREER,’” begins a Nov. 22 post.
He continued on.
“While my great work on the Economy has not yet been fully appreciated, it will be! Things are really Rockin’. Stopping WARS and Foreign Relations seems to be a strong suit. Also great, The Border and Stopping Crime. I predict that the Economy, with the already HIGHEST STOCK MARKET, EVER, and prices coming sharply down from the Biden disaster, will soon be at the top of the list,” the president wrote.
But Trump is exaggerating his poll numbers, according to PolitiFact. His approval rating is actually at an all-time low.
Many poll aggregators show Trump started the year with strong numbers. In January, he saw an approval rating of 54.2% and a disapproval rating of 40.8%.
“The high point of his polling was at the beginning of his second term,” Geoffrey Skelley, chief elections analyst for Decision Desk HQ, told PolitiFact.
But in Nov. 24 polling, the president was at an approval rating of 41.5% and his disapproval jumped to 56%.
Trump’s current numbers are very similar to the same point in his first term. At that time his polling numbers rebounded.
And that can happen again, Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics, told PolitiFact.
“Trump has often shown an ability to bounce back from poor approval polling, like water finding its level,” Kondik said.
Sweden uses salt on roads
A post earlier this month offered a positive message about dealing with the snow.
“Sweden's new edible road salt is saving birds from deadly dehydration,” begins the text on the Nov. 10 post, which included a photo of a snowplow cleaning a road while six birds in the street appear to be looking for food.
“Made with beet extract and maize starch, it melts ice safely while feeding wildlife instead of poisoning them during brutal winters,” the post read. “Beyond animal welfare, the eco-salt leaves fewer chemical residues in runoff water, benefiting nearby soil and streams.”
Sound greats. However, it’s not true, according to Reuters. Sweden uses common salt to treat the roads in the winter.
“(It’s) fake news,” Katarina Wolffram, press communications officer for Sweden’s Transport Administration Trafikverket, told Reuters.
Wolffram said the administration has never used “the alleged product.” She said about 20 years ago Sweden used a mixture of salt and sugar in small testing areas.
Several U.S. and Canadian cities have experimented with beet juice and other alternatives to de-ice the roads, Reuters said.
‘Pedophile Bonfire’ event is fake
A recent social media post appears to be one town’s reaction to President Donald Trump and the release of emails from the Epstein files.
“BREAKING: A Montana town that voted 89% for Donald Trump a year ago is holding a ‘Pedophile Bonfire’ event in their public park tonight for anyone who wants to come burn their Trump flags and MAGA hats,” the Nov. 15 X post read. The post was shared on Facebook and Instagram.
But this event was never going to happen, according to PolitiFact. The claim originated as a joke.
The rumor started on the satirical website The Halfway Post, which bills itself as offering “halfway true comedy and satire.” There were no other credible news reports of this event happening.
There have been scattered news reports of people burning MAGA hats in response to Trump’s handling of the Epstein files, but no reports of planned events with bonfires, PolitiFact said.
Tyler gesture is fake
A recent Facebook post appeared to show a gesture from Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler.
“HEARTWARMING: Steven Tyler Sends Helicopters Loaded with Aid to Jamaica, Declaring: ‘Kindness Should Travel Faster Than the Storm,’” the post read. “When torrential floods struck Kingston, Jamaica, leaving communities stranded and homes destroyed, rock icon Steven Tyler acted immediately. Within just 24 hours, he organized a fleet of helicopters filled with generators, food, clean water, and medical supplies to reach those in need.”
Heartwarming indeed. However, it’s false, according to Snopes.
The post was shared on X, Instagram, YouTube and Threads, and there were thousands of reactions and comments. But the claim can’t be found on any other news sites.
The post, which includes an image that appears to be Tyler standing near a helicopter being loaded with supplies, as a sign reading “KINDNESS SHOULD TRAVEL FASTER THAN THE STORM,” hangs in front of a double rainbow, was likely created using artificial intelligence, Snopes said.
• Bob Oswald is a veteran Chicago-area journalist and former news editor of the Elgin Courier-News. Contact him at boboswald33@gmail.com.