Rachel Maddow Drops the Brutal Verdict: Donald Trump Is Only Winning at ONE Thing — And America Is Turning Against Him Fast
Rachel Maddow delivered a blistering on-air takedown of Donald Trump this week, declaring that the former president is excelling at just one thing right now — driving his own popularity straight into the ground.
On Monday night’s episode of MS NOW, Maddow methodically dismantled Trump’s record, running through what she described as a growing pile of disastrous policy choices, tone-deaf public remarks, and scandals that are now catching up with him in the most unforgiving way possible: the polls.
According to Maddow, Trump’s approval ratings are not simply slipping — they are “cratering” across nearly every issue that matters most to him and his base.
“I feel like everybody in the national news media is finally cottoning on to the fact that Trump’s approval ratings, not just overall but on specific issues, are just collapsing,” Maddow said. “On the economy. On health care. On immigration. On affordability. On all the things he claims to own.”
She went further, suggesting that even outlets traditionally friendly to Trump can no longer ignore the shift.
“The country, broadly speaking, is sharply against President Trump at this point,” she said flatly.
What made the moment particularly striking, Maddow noted, is that the backlash is no longer confined to liberal strongholds or cable news panels. Even local stations in deeply red states are now openly airing criticism of Trump’s leadership — something almost unthinkable just a few years ago.
As proof, Maddow played footage from FOX 23 Tulsa, which aired scenes of an anti-Trump protest in Oklahoma over the weekend. Demonstrators called for political unity, affordable food prices, solutions for homelessness, and relief from the crushing cost of living.
One protest organizer, Susan Young of Indivisible Tulsa County, summed up the frustration in blunt terms: “People don’t like being told how many dolls they should buy for their children.”
That remark, Maddow pointed out, cut straight to the heart of Trump’s recent messaging, in which he has repeatedly urged Americans to simply accept economic pain as the price of his policies.
“When that’s the local nightly news in Oklahoma,” Maddow said dryly, “you know things aren’t going great.”
The numbers back it up. Citing the latest Associated Press polling, Maddow revealed that Trump is a staggering 36 points underwater on the economy. Just 31 percent of Americans approve of his handling of economic issues, while 67 percent disapprove.
And the picture only gets darker from there.
On health care, Maddow said, Trump’s approval rating is even worse — down by a brutal 40 points. She noted that the polling closed before a critical Affordable Care Act enrollment deadline, meaning millions of Americans are now confronting higher premiums tied to the GOP’s sweeping tax and spending legislation.
Those costs, Maddow warned, are “skyrocketing,” adding that Trump’s numbers were already dismal before the increases fully hit.
Her conclusion was blunt and unforgiving: “You do unpopular things, and you end up unpopular.”
Beyond the polls, Maddow highlighted a surge in visible public resistance. Protests have followed Trump’s appearances, including demonstrations as he arrived at the Army-Navy game over the weekend. Signs carried stark messages: “Don’t obey illegal orders.” “No war crimes with my tax dollars.” “Baltimore says no to tyranny.”
Then came the moment that left viewers stunned.
Footage rolled showing a massive tarp unfurled on the National Mall, directly in front of the White House. The image featured Trump alongside disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, who once referred to Trump as his “closest friend” before dying in jail while awaiting trial on federal child sex trafficking charges.
Maddow reminded viewers that a recent Reuters/Ipsos survey found only 18 percent of Americans believe Trump was unaware of Epstein’s crimes before they became public. She added that more classified documents related to the case are expected to be released this Friday — a development likely to reignite public fury.
The message from Maddow was unmistakable. Trump may still command headlines, rallies, and loyalists, but the wider country, she argued, is slipping out of his grasp.
Right now, she suggested, Trump is dominating only one arena — and it’s the one that hurts him most.