President-elect Donald Trump’s communications director has ripped the media for pushing a false story about Trump’s health after a reporter took to social media to claim that ambulances were spotted leaving Mar-a-Lago on Thursday evening.
“The press has set up a fake, unofficial ‘pool’ because they want to feel important about themselves. In this case, some idiot at CBS overreacted and set off the fire alarm for no reason thinking they were going to get the scoop of a lifetime. F***ing dummy,” Steven Cheung wrote on X.
Cheung’s remarks followed a string of X posts from Andrew Feinberg, the British newspaper The Independent’s White House correspondent. Feinberg reported on X at 4:16 p.m. ET that a CBS TV pool stationed near Mar-a-Lago had spotted “about 20-25 cars, two ambulances, and a helicopter hovering above” Trump’s estate, and that the vehicles had then left a few minutes later.
There was no emergency involving Trump or anyone else, and the ambulances at Mar-a-Lago were part of the routine for JD Vance’s motorcade.
Thirty minutes later, Feinberg updated his report on X, writing, “CALM DOWN, PEOPLE. Per a transition source and @SecretService, the ambulances were part of Vice President-elect @JDVance’s motorcade. False alarm. Go about your business.”
Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi confirmed the details, dispelling the rumors.
“We are not tracking any Secret Service-directed medical transports from Mar-a-Lago, and from our personnel on the ground,” Guglielmi stated on X. “There are no issues or concerns with any Secret Service protectees on property.”
This comes as a sizeable majority of registered voters approve of Trump’s performance as he prepares for his second term in the White House, according to a new poll.
The Harvard CAPS/Harris poll found that 54% of respondents approve of Trump’s leadership, while 40% disapprove. The high approval rating is driven by strong support from 91% of Republicans, along with 49% of independents and 22% of Democrats who also expressed approval, The Hill reported this week.
The poll comes as President-elect Donald Trump transitions into office, set to be sworn in on January 20. He has announced several high-profile Cabinet nominations, including Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) for Secretary of State and Representative Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) for United Nations Ambassador.
More controversial picks include former Representative Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) for Attorney General and Fox News host Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense.
The poll revealed that at least a plurality of respondents approve of Trump’s performance across most age groups, with a majority among those aged 18 to 24, 25 to 34, 35 to 44, and 45 to 54. Among those aged 55 to 64, more approve than disapprove, while a slight majority of respondents aged 65 and older expressed disapproval, the outlet added, citing the results.
Trump’s 54% approval rating as president-elect is 12 points higher than the 42% approval for President Biden, according to the same poll.
Biden’s rating has remained consistent in recent months, and for some months before he dropped his reelection bid in July, his approval rating dipped into the upper 30s. Vice President Kamala Harris, meanwhile, consistently polled even lower than Biden.
During his presidency, Trump’s approval rating in Gallup surveys never reached 50%, peaking at 49% on a few occasions. Pollster Mark Penn emphasized the importance of this latest poll for Trump’s ability to govern effectively in his second term.
“It’s a good start. He is above 50 in job approval so far — it will be important for him to stay above that level to govern effectively,” Penn told The Hill.
Approval of the Republican Party saw a slight increase, rising from 46% last month to 49% this month, while approval for the Democratic Party declined from 47% to 44%.
Meanwhile, just over a quarter of voters (26%) believe the country is on the right track, marking a 4-point drop from October.
