Overview
- CNN News Central, which aired Thursday, reported a CNN/SSRS net favorability of -12 for the first lady, the lowest on record for a modern first lady at this point in a presidency.
- CNN’s Harry Enten contrasted her rating with past first ladies who were well above water at similar stages, including Nancy Reagan (+50), Laura Bush (+46), Michelle Obama (+42), and Hillary Clinton (+25).
- Enten linked the slide to her Amazon-backed documentary, Melania: Twenty Days To History, which earned about $17 million at the box office against an estimated $75 million in rights and marketing.
- The poll findings came before Melania Trump delivered a White House address denying any connections to Jeffrey Epstein.
- Newsweek noted her drop parallels President Trump’s weak approval, and analysts say the pairing could pose risks for Republicans heading toward the midterm elections.