A new Economist/YouGov poll reveals a striking gap between Trump’s self-image and how American voters describe him, with perceptions of his character adding another dimension to the debate ahead of November’s midterms.

What word would you use to describe Donald Trump? We know he would reach for genius, high IQ and assorted other immodest claims.

Most of us might opt for demented, dangerous or proto-fascist.

Sadly for him, the US public has a different view of him than he has of himself.

The Economist/YouGov poll (11–14 September 2026) asked 1,461 registered voters what word they would use to describe Trump.

The survey divided responses into the share who say the word describes Trump; the share who say it........

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