Trump Labeled 'Delusional' by Critics as He Claims His 'Popularity Is Higher Now' Despite Devastating Midterms Loss
Trump told Hugh Hewitt his popularity 'maybe is higher now than it was.'
Nov. 13 2026, Published 1:00 p.m. ET
President Donald Trump suggested his popularity may be higher than ever, arguing that Republican candidates could have performed better in the midterm elections if he had been on the ballot, RadarOnline.com can report.
Speaking with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt on Thursday, November 12, Trump pointed to his own vote totals in Texas, claiming he received more votes than the state's Republican Senate candidate.
Trump: 'My Level of Popularity Maybe Is Higher Now'
An Economist/YouGov post-election poll found Trump at 36% approval and 62% disapproval, a net rating of –26.
"I'm just I think my level of popularity maybe is higher now than it was," Trump said in a conversation with Salem News Channel. "I'm not sure, but maybe it feels to me that it would be higher other than what happened at the midterms."
Trump said he was surprised by the Republican Party's performance, acknowledging that he was not accustomed to seeing election results like those.
"But, uh, I was very surprised. I'm not used to that. I'm used to, well, every time I ran, we won," he told Hewitt. "When I didn't run, you know, it seems to be, it seems to be difficult."
The 80--year-old also pointed to his campaign appearances ahead of the midterms, arguing that his own electoral performance demonstrated his continued popularity with voters.
He specifically referenced Texas, claiming he received approximately 1.5 million more votes than the state's Republican Senate candidate.
"When you look at that, than the Senate candidate in Texas, it's a lot of votes," the president noted.
Trump suggested that his presence on the ballot could have made a difference in the midterm results, saying he believed Republicans might have performed differently if he had been running.
By the Numbers
A Civiqs survey showed Trump underwater in 39 states.
The first post-election Economist/YouGov survey, conducted November 4–6 among 3,166 registered voters, found Trump with 36 percent approval and 62 percent disapproval, a net rating of –26.
Fifty percent strongly disapproved while 17 percent strongly approved. The result marked a seven-point deterioration from the pollster’s final pre-election survey.
Republicans still gave him 78 percent approval, while Democrats registered 3 percent and independents 36 percent approval, with 59 percent disapproval.
Women were more negative (32 percent approval, 66 percent disapproval) than men (41 percent). College graduates showed 28 percent approval and 71 percent disapproval.
MAGA supporters remained strongly supportive at 91 percent approval.
The Only States Trump Has A Positive Rating
Trump's approval is above water in only eight, led by Wyoming at +17.
A Civiqs state-by-state tracker showed Trump with negative net approval in 39 states, even ratings in three, and positive net approval in only eight: Wyoming (+17), Oklahoma (+1), Kansas (+1), Arkansas, Idaho, North Dakota, Utah and West Virginia.
All eight had voted for him in the previous three presidential elections.
Separate polling averages around the same period put his national approval in the mid-to-high 30s, with net ratings ranging from roughly –20 to –30.
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Critics Go Off on 'Delusional' Trump
A White House spokesperson pointed to tax cuts, border security and job growth while calling Trump the most consequential president in American history.
Critics were quick to call out Trump's comments, as one user wrote, "He’s f–ing delusional."
"The propaganda that Natalie pumps into his feeble mind seems to be working," another quipped, referring to Trump's aide, Natalie Harp.
"Yeah, he's the most popular sack of sh-t, but not for the reasons he expects. It's not every day that the world sits at the mercy of a madman," a person raged.
