CNN has long been a top enemy of Donald Trump and his allies. Now it’s all changing.
Because a CNN host was just left utterly speechless by this news about President Trump.
Trump and Musk’s DOGE Cuts Gain Surprising Support, Shocking CNN Analyst
In a revealing moment on CNN, senior data reporter Harry Enten couldn’t hide his astonishment Thursday when discussing the unexpected popularity of President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) efforts to slash federal government spending. The initiative, which has already sent thousands of federal workers packing, is making waves—and apparently winning over a majority of Americans who see it as a long-overdue cleanup of bureaucratic excess.
DOGE, tasked with trimming the fat from Washington’s sprawling apparatus, boasts on its website that it has already saved taxpayers a staggering $105 billion. For a nation weary of government overreach, that figure seems to resonate. Enten, appearing on CNN News Central, suggested the public’s approval stems from a belief that DOGE is zeroing in on waste, not slashing programs people actually care about.
“This, to me, was one of the more shocking figures that I saw. Made me go, ‘Wait a minute, hold on one second, whoa!’ Americans on Trump and DOGE efforts, Musk and DOGE should influence government spending and operations: Look at this, 54%, the majority say that he and they should,” Enten told host Kate Bolduan, pointing to a February CBS News/YouGov poll. “How about approve of Trump trying to cut staff at government agencies? Again, you get a majority here, 51%.” The numbers paint a picture of a country ready to back Trump’s vision of a leaner, more efficient government—a vision Musk has enthusiastically championed.
Enten didn’t stop there. “So, yeah, Elon Musk might not be that popular, but these cuts and the idea of spending cuts, at least within the federal government and cutting at government agencies, that actually has majority support,” he said. “I was truly surprised by this, Kate. But the numbers are the numbers.” For a CNN analyst to admit being caught off guard by Trump’s appeal is telling—it’s a sign the former president’s influence, paired with Musk’s bold leadership, is striking a chord that even the liberal-leaning network can’t ignore.
When Bolduan pressed Enten on what Americans think Trump and DOGE are actually cutting, the data offered more good news for the duo. “What do they think they’re actually cutting? Democrats want to argue that the type of spending that Musk is cutting is mainly necessary programs, but that comes in at just 36%,” Enten explained, referencing a recent Washington Post/Ipsos poll. “The wasteful spending actually wins the plurality here at 42%.” In other words, more Americans see DOGE as a scalpel removing useless bloat rather than a hatchet chopping away at vital services—a perception that bolsters Trump’s argument for shaking up the status quo.
“And I think that is the reason why you see that when it comes to … Musk and DOGE, you see, in fact, the majority believe he should have some influence, because they believe, the plurality believe that he is cutting wasteful spending, not necessarily programs that Democrats are arguing,” Enten added. It’s a subtle but powerful nod to the common-sense approach Trump has long promised: government that works for the people, not the other way around.
Of course, not everyone is on board. Democrats have been vocal in their opposition, staging protests outside agencies like USAID and the Treasury Department on February 4 after Musk announced plans to shutter USAID entirely. Texas Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett doubled down in February, claiming she doesn’t see “substantial waste, fraud and abuse” in the federal government—a stance that seems increasingly out of touch with the public mood.
Meanwhile, CNN anchor Pamela Brown noted some specific cuts DOGE has made, including “gender-affirming health care in Guatemala, teaching people in Kazakhstan to fight back against internet trolls, voluntary male circumcisions in Mozambique, creating work opportunities for young LGBTQI+ people in Serbia.”
To Trump supporters, these might sound like the exact kind of questionable expenditures DOGE was designed to eliminate—overseas pet projects that do little for American taxpayers. The data, as Enten reluctantly conceded, speaks for itself. Trump and Musk’s partnership through DOGE is tapping into a deep well of frustration with government inefficiency.
While the Left cries foul, the numbers suggest most Americans are cheering on this aggressive push to streamline Washington. For a president who thrives on defying expectations, it’s yet another sign that Trump’s instincts—and his alliance with Musk—might just be what the country wants.
The Conservative Column will update you on any major DOGE updates and reports.
