CNN senior data analyst Harry Enten says the latest readings are flashing red for President Donald Trump and the Republican Party.

In a blistering interview on Mediaite’s Press Club, Enten warned that Trump’s second-term economic policies — particularly his aggressive use of tariffs — are already dragging down his approval ratings and could set the stage for a Republican midterm bloodbath if the economy worsens.

“This economy is his,” Enten said bluntly. “If these tariffs raise prices even further, there will be a political price to pay.”

That price could be steep. Trump’s net approval rating with independent voters is a staggering 22 points underwater — a historic low for any modern president at this point in a second term. It’s even worse than his own numbers during his first term.

“It is completely on the table that the Republican brand could collapse,” Enten warned. “It has not yet — but it absolutely could. If the economy goes south, it will take Republican House members with it, and some senators too.”

But Democrats shouldn’t start celebrating just yet.

According to Enten, “The Democratic Party’s brand is in the absolute gutter.” Once the favored home of the American working class, the party has hemorrhaged support among Black, Hispanic, and younger voters, many of whom have shifted toward Trump. “It just ain’t the case no more,” Enten said of Democrats’ past advantage with the working class.

One bright spot for Democrats? Elon Musk — at least as a political target.

“Why are Democrats wise to go after Elon Musk?” Enten asked rhetorically. “In poll after poll after poll, he is unpopular.” He pointed to a recent Fox News poll showing Musk’s approval rating at minus 18 nationally — worse than Trump’s. After Musk poured $25 million into a Wisconsin judicial race and appeared on stage at a rally, the conservative candidate he backed lost — by 10 points. “He becomes the face, and suddenly — political poison,” Enten said.

And while Trump is known for embracing bold characters, he’s also allergic to losers. “If there’s one thing Donald Trump has taught us,” Enten added, “it’s this: don’t lose.”

Enten also touched on the Democrats’ leadership vacuum, noting that while names like AOC and Josh Shapiro generate some energy, no clear successor has emerged. Still, Vice President Kamala Harris, while often dismissed by pundits, remains the most recognizable Democrat in early 2028 polling. “Name ID is worth a lot of dough,” Enten noted.

As for Trump’s economic gambit, Enten’s prediction was simple: if inflation ticks up, the fallout will be swift and severe.

“Trump won the presidency because of high prices,” he said. “But now he owns them.”

The upcoming months will test whether Trump’s base remains loyal in the face of rising costs — or whether a fragile economy will trigger a broader political reckoning.

“This is a moment of inflection,” Enten said. “And history shows — when the economy goes south, so do the presidents.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)