Multiple polls are confirming that the podcasters may not matter at all.
President Trump on Thursday absolutely leveled a slew of grifters, from Tucker Carlson, to Megyn Kelly, to Alex Jones, calling them "low IQ," "stupid," and "the opposite of MAGA."
PRESIDENT TRUMP on TruthSocial: 🇺🇸 I know why Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Candace Owens, and Alex Jones have all been fighting me for years, especially by the fact that they think it is wonderful for Iran, the Number One State Sponsor of Terror, to have a Nuclear Weapon —… pic.twitter.com/bXq62kJklq
— Donald J Trump Posts TruthSocial (@TruthTrumpPost) April 9, 2026
And despite the danger of their beliefs, their popularity, and their social media presence, new polling is casting doubt on their level of influence.
According to a UMass-Lowell/YouGov poll surveying U.S. adults, a figure like Tucker Carlson is viewed overwhelmingly unfavorably. Among Republicans, 31 percent view him favorably, while 24 percent view him unfavorably. The rest of the country overwhelmingly has a more unfavorable view.
For one of Fox News’ most prominent hosts, these numbers suggest a surprisingly weak level of support even within his own party.
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Tucker Carlson isn't that popular among Republican-leaners anymore, according to a new UMass-Lowell/YouGov poll:
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) April 10, 2026
31% favorable
24% unfavorable
And he's 2-to-1 negative overall. pic.twitter.com/yEKbvvCxNQ
CNN even confirmed his lack of popularity.
Tucker Carlson has been in absolute free fall among the GOP. His net favorable has dropped by 47 points.
— (((Harry Enten))) (@ForecasterEnten) April 10, 2026
Meanwhile, Trump crushes Tucker among the GOP. Trump's net favorable is 54 pts higher than Carlson's.
When you up against Trump, you in the grinder to quote Good Burger. pic.twitter.com/oz30tsWGhW
This gives credence to the idea that commentators may simply be relegated to their own online worlds in terms of influence. Figures like Carlson and Kelly can run their mouths all they want, but that does not necessarily mean they are achieving their goals or shaping the president’s policy direction.
That naturally raises a broader question that only time can answer: what happens when President Trump is no longer on the political stage?
While the UMass-Lowell/YouGov poll shows Carlson is viewed unfavorably overall, the gap between favorability and unfavorability narrows when the data is broken down by age. It remains to be seen whether younger generations will continue to view figures like Carlson in the same way as older voters, or whether those perceptions will shift over time.
In the meantime, we can rest assured that with President Trump in office, the grifters don't command the MAGA movment.
