Press Bans and Falling Approval
Trump Faces Press Bans, Falling Approval Ratings and Deepening GOP Divisions Amid Controversy
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Key Points
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Marco Rubio said the White House had not discussed changing the State Department’s traveling press pool and that reporters from every outlet would likely still attend his press conference.
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At the Republican midterm convention, attendees were reportedly asked to pledge allegiance to Trump as “the greatest president in the history of the United States” and promise to “cheat like hell” in November; Trump also promised a $5,000 payment to every adult if Republicans won both chambers of Congress.
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Newsweek found that Trump’s approval rating fell from 49.9% to 38.4% over roughly 20 months, while McDonald’s shares fell from $288.70 at the end of January 2025 to $248.24 on Sept. 18, 2026; the two measures were strongly correlated only from January 2026, not throughout the entire period.
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The fake image purporting to show Trump kissing Natalie Harp contained a visible clue of manipulation: Harp’s hand appeared to have six fingers, and the clearest version carried a watermark indicating it had been edited with AI tools.
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The report said Harp’s close relationship with Trump had already drawn attention through reverential letters calling him her “Guardian and Protector in this Life” and a reported $45,000 gift shared by Harp and two other aides, factors that helped the fabricated image spread and prompted an official White House denial.
President Donald Trump barred Politico, MS NOW, and CNN from White House access, citing false reporting. NBC host Craig Melvin pressed Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the exclusions during a televised interview. Rubio claimed the restrictions were workspace limits, not press shutdowns. Critics called the move an attack on press freedom.
Trump's approval rating fell to 38.4% over roughly 20 months, Newsweek reported, while Republican divisions surfaced at a midterm convention marked by weak attendance. An AI-generated fake image of Trump kissing aide Natalie Harp spread online despite official denials and fact-checking that exposed digital clues of manipulation.
Trump Bans News Outlets From White House
Trump restricted Politico, MS NOW, and CNN from White House access after accusing them of publishing false stories. NBC's Melvin confronted Secretary of State Rubio about the ban during a Today show interview. Rubio argued the restrictions were not shutdowns but limits on workspace access to certain reporters. He said reporters from every outlet would likely still attend his press conferences.
Press freedom advocates warned the move sets a dangerous precedent. Analysts noted that barring Politico could hurt administration officials who depend on its reporting for key policy information. The White House has not announced plans to restrict the State Department's traveling press pool, Rubio added.
Trump's Approval Drops as Party Divisions Emerge
Trump's approval rating fell from 49.9% to 38.4% over roughly 20 months, Newsweek found. A Republican midterm convention exposed party fractures and disappointing attendance rather than energizing conservative voters. Attendees were reportedly asked to pledge loyalty to Trump as "the greatest president in the history of the United States."
Trump promised a $5,000 payment to every adult if Republicans won both chambers of Congress. Newsweek also found a potential link between Trump's falling approval and declining McDonald's share prices, though the correlation held mainly from January 2026 onward. McDonald's shares fell from $288.70 in late January 2025 to $248.24 by September 18, 2026.
AI-Fake Image of Trump Spreads Despite Fact-Checks
An AI-generated image falsely showing Trump kissing aide Natalie Harp spread widely online. The White House officially denied the image's authenticity. Fact-checkers quickly spotted a digital clue: Harp's hand appeared to have six fingers instead of five. The clearest version carried a watermark indicating AI editing tools had been used.
Harp's close relationship with Trump had already drawn scrutiny. She sent reverential letters calling him her "Guardian and Protector in this Life." She and two other aides also shared a reported $45,000 gift, factors that helped the false image gain traction. The fabricated photo prompted swift official denials from the White House.
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