CNN is facing calls from viewers to remove Chief Data Analyst Harry Enten following his description of President Donald Trump as “the most influential president this century” during a broadcast on August 3, 2025. The comment has led to significant backlash from those demanding Enten’s dismissal.
Enten made this statement during CNN’s “Run The Numbers” with anchor Omar Jimenez, where they examined the implications of Trump’s policies. He noted that Trump is reshaping the nation through new tariffs, stricter immigration laws, and an increase in executive orders.
The controversy began when Jimenez referenced the term “TACO”—short for “Trump Always Chickens Out”—while discussing Trump’s tariff policies. Enten countered this viewpoint, supporting his analysis with detailed data.
“No tacos for Trump when it comes to tariffs. Take a look: 18%—the highest tariff rate since the 1930s, Omar. That’s up from just 2 percent a year ago,” Enten stated on the program.
He also discussed Trump’s immigration policies, highlighting substantial changes. Enten forecasted that net migration to the U.S. could decrease by at least 60 percent from the previous year’s total of 2.8 million. He further warned that the country might witness negative net migration in 2025.
“We could actually see negative net migration to the US next year,” Enten said. “That would mark the first time in at least five decades that this trend has appeared.”
Enten continued by addressing Trump’s unprecedented use of executive orders. He pointed out that Trump had signed 180 executive orders by mid-2025, greatly exceeding former President Joe Biden’s 77 during his first year. Enten remarked that such activity had not been seen since Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidency.
In conclusion, Enten described Trump’s impact as historically significant. He used the phrase, “Love it, like it, lump it,” to emphasize that, regardless of personal opinions, the data indicates significant change.
Reactions on social media were swift, with numerous viewers expressing strong opinions. Many in CNN’s audience were angry, urging the network to terminate Enten. Some questioned whether he was endorsing Trump’s actions, particularly the tariff increases that could elevate costs for Americans.
One dissatisfied viewer posted on X, questioning whether Enten supported higher taxes, though the full comment was not published. Others argued that Trump’s influence had been more detrimental than beneficial.
However, some viewers agreed with Enten’s findings, asserting that the data speaks for itself. They pointed to Trump’s widespread voter support, highlighting the ongoing division regarding Trump’s leadership.
Enten’s situation is notable given CNN’s generally critical stance on Trump. Nonetheless, Enten concentrated solely on data and measurable outcomes, avoiding personal opinions. His experience as a data analyst further reinforced his evaluation.
Enten, now 37, graduated from Dartmouth College and previously worked at FiveThirtyEight before joining CNN in 2018. He currently hosts the “Margins of Error” podcast for CNN, which focuses on a statistical perspective over traditional campaign reporting.
Trump’s policies, as outlined by Enten, are central to his “America First” strategy. Trump has implemented new tariffs on imports, increasing rates for specific countries. For instance, tariffs on products from Canada rose from 25 percent to 35 percent after the administration claimed Canada had not adequately addressed fentanyl smuggling.
The immigration data Enten referenced reflects Trump’s more stringent border enforcement and policies, leading to the most significant migration shifts in years.
This situation highlights tensions between CNN’s usual editorial approach and data-focused reporting. Despite the network’s regular criticism of Trump, Enten’s segment concentrated on factual policy outcomes rather than partisan rhetoric.
The segment’s rapid spread online indicates ongoing interest in Trump’s presidency and the effects of his policies. Clips and quotes from Enten’s analysis quickly circulated on social media, eliciting a wide spectrum of public reactions.
