--- title: "Pete Hegseth’s net approval rating of -22 puts his job at risk, polls show" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/pete-hegseths-net-approval-rating-of-22-puts-his-job-at-risk-polls-show" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/pete-hegseths-net-approval-rating-of-22-puts-his-job-at-risk-polls-show" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/pete-hegseths-net-approval-rating-of-22-puts-his-job-at-risk-polls-show.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/pete-hegseths-net-approval-rating-of-22-puts-his-job-at-risk-polls-show" category: "Politics" area: "United States" published: "2026-08-11T03:46:25.020Z" source_reported: "2026-08-10T22:18:20.000Z" updated: "2026-08-11T03:46:25.020Z" trust_score: 62 critic_score: 51 hype_score: 41 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-08-11T05:40:16.205Z" --- # Pete Hegseth’s net approval rating of -22 puts his job at risk, polls show *CNN analyst Harry Enten says the figure matches past cabinet members who were later removed from office* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 62 of 100, higher is better. Multiple digests cite CNN data analyst. - Craft 51 of 100, higher is better. Lacks direct quotes and specific details. - Hype 41 of 100, lower is better. Sensational language in some headlines. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Pete Hegseth’s net approval rating stands at -22, the lowest among Donald Trump’s cabinet members. - CNN data analyst Harry Enten said the figure matches past officials who were later removed from office. - Quinnipiac University and Fox News polling data were cited as the source of the approval rating. - No right-rated outlet carried the story, according to the reports below. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has the lowest net approval rating of any member of Donald Trump’s cabinet. The figure, reported as -22, comes from polling conducted by Quinnipiac University and Fox News. CNN data analyst Harry Enten said on 9 August 2026 that the rating matches those of previous cabinet members who were later removed from office. Enten cited former Secretary Kristi Noem and former Attorney General Pam Bondi, whose net approval ratings fell to -16 and -22 respectively before they left the administration. Hegseth’s rating is lower than those of Vice President JD Vance (-17) and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (-9), as reported by Mediaite. The reports below do not say whether Trump has commented on Hegseth’s approval rating or whether any action has been taken regarding his position. It is unclear what steps, if any, the administration has considered in response to the polling data. ## What the coverage left out None of the digests below mention whether the White House has responded to the polling data or whether Trump has commented on Hegseth’s approval rating. No right-rated outlet ran the story at all. ## Who covered it Shares of the 8 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 50% (4) - Centre: 50% (4) - Right: 0% (0) 0 of 8 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-08-11T05:40:16.205Z. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 8 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-08-11T05:46:16.989Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - The four left-rated digests led on Pete Hegseth’s net approval rating of -22 and the suggestion by CNN’s Harry Enten that the figure could put his job at risk. Alternet and The Daily Boulder both noted that the rating matches those of past cabinet members who were later dismissed. Mediaite quoted Enten’s warning that “red lights [are] flashing” over Hegseth’s job security. - The New Republic’s digest focused on a separate incident: a video of Hegseth wiping his nose and then running his hand through his hair at a public event. The outlet described the footage as “the grossest thing you see all day” and said it reinforced criticism of Hegseth as acting like a child “playing army”. ### Centre - The two centre-rated digests led on the polling data and its implications for Hegseth’s position. Cleveland described his approval rating as the “lowest of the low” and said it indicated he may be the next to leave the administration. Political Wire reported that Hegseth had become “the least popular member of President Donald Trump’s cabinet” and listed the net approval ratings of other cabinet members, including JD Vance and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ### Right No separate framing summary. **Provisional coverage gap:** right. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - low: 1 - mixed: 2 - high: 5 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [Hindustan Times](https://hindustantimes.com/trending/us/pete-hegseths-nose-wipe-and-sweating-video-goes-viral-i-don-t-really-wash-my-hands-comment-resurfaces-101786412639450.html) — Pete Hegseth's ‘nose wipe’ and sweating video goes viral; ‘I don’t really wash my hands’ comment resurfaces - [RadarOnline](https://radaronline.com/p/trump-least-popular-cabinet-member-pete-hegseth-prez-defense-sec) — Trump Could Move On From 'Least Popular Cabinet Member' Pete Hegseth, CNN Data Wiz Claims - [Alternet](https://alternet.org/trump-cabinet-2677679574) — You're fired: CNN reveals the magic number that gets Trump aides the boot - [The Daily Boulder](https://dailyboulder.com/trumps-entire-cabinet-hit-with-brutal-poll-pete-hegseth-is-the-worst) — Trump’s entire cabinet hit with brutal poll — Pete Hegseth is the worst - [Cleveland](https://cleveland.com/politics/2026/08/this-trump-cabinet-members-lowest-of-the-low-poll-numbers-suggest-theyre-next-to-leave.html) — This Trump cabinet member’s poll numbers suggest they’re next to leave - [Mediaite](https://mediaite.com/politics/red-lights-flashing-cnn-data-guru-issues-warning-on-pete-hegseths-job-security) — ‘Red Lights Flashing!’ CNN Data Guru Issues Warning on Pete Hegseth’s ‘Job Security’ - [The New Republic](https://newrepublic.com/post/214153/watch-pete-hegseth-wipe-snot-in-hair) — Watch Pete Hegseth Wipe Actual Snot in His Hair - [Political Wire](https://politicalwire.com/2026/08/10/pete-hegseth-is-the-most-unpopular-cabinet-member) — Pete Hegseth Is the Most Unpopular Cabinet Member ## Questions **What is Pete Hegseth’s net approval rating?** Pete Hegseth’s net approval rating is -22, the lowest among Donald Trump’s cabinet members. The figure comes from polling by Quinnipiac University and Fox News, and CNN analyst Harry Enten said it matches past officials who were later removed from office. **Which outlets reported on Pete Hegseth’s approval rating?** The story was reported by four left-rated outlets (Alternet, The Daily Boulder, Mediaite, The New Republic) and two centre-rated outlets (Cleveland, Political Wire). No right-rated outlet carried the story, according to the reports below. **Has Donald Trump commented on Pete Hegseth’s approval rating?** The reports below do not say whether Donald Trump or the White House has commented on Pete Hegseth’s net approval rating of -22. It is unclear whether the administration has considered any action in response to the polling data. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/pete-hegseths-net-approval-rating-of-22-puts-his-job-at-risk-polls-show. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Pete Hegseth’s net approval rating of -22 puts his job at risk, polls show", https://mediabias.news/politics/pete-hegseths-net-approval-rating-of-22-puts-his-job-at-risk-polls-show