He specifically dismissed a new RealClearPolitics poll average during the interview that puts his approval at 38.8%.

The president reportedly based that argument on The New York Times’ earlier inclusion of data from Wedgewood Polls, a company that recently admitted to using fabricated numbers, even though the paper specifically noted it didn’t use Wedgewood in calculating his job approval metrics.

“The job approval, they said it’s 37, 38?” Trump told the Examiner. “I’m not at 38.”

When asked what he believes his job approval rating actually is, Trump again boasted about his popularity and said, “I don’t believe I could be beaten by anybody” — before touting his own number: “I think that if I needed it, which I don’t, I think 60.”

The RealClearPolitics average includes polling data from more than a dozen outlets including Rasmussen Reports, Economist/YouGov, Reuters/Ipsos, ABC/The Washington Post/Ipsos, CNN, CNBC, ABC, The New York Times — and Fox News.

The RealClearPolitics average of polls includes data from over a dozen reputable outlets.

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

That didn’t stop him from defending himself even further.

“Show him the 99%. Have you seen it?” Trump asked during the interview. He was referring to a September clip of CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten noting that Trump won 99% “of the MAGA GOP vote” in the 2024 election against then-Democratic nominee Kamala Harris.

He continued, “If CNN keeps doing those polls, I’ll like them more and more.”