PoliticsFox News' Bret Baier Fact-Checks Donald Trump With Brutal Poll Numbers: 'Actually...'
Fox News host Bret Baier fact-checked Donald Trump.
Oct. 15 2026, Published 4:32 p.m. ET
Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier fact-checked President Donald Trump’s inflation claims during a Special Report broadcast. Baier corrected Trump's claim that inflation was 1.7 percent before the Iran war, saying it was "actually closer to 2.4 percent" and had reached 3.7 percent.
Following the fact-check, Baier presented Fox News polling data regarding the public's perception of the economy.
“The president earlier said that inflation was at 1.7 percent before the Iran war. It was actually closer to 2.4 percent, but it’s at 3.7 percent now,” Baier emphasized. “That leads to this next poll that we have tonight about the president’s performance on inflation, and you see the difference there from January and from March of last year.”
Polling Shows Disapproval of Trump's Inflation Efforts
Donald Trump's claims of high approval and a good economy have been debunked by multiple polls.
A Fox News poll conducted October 9–12 found that 77 percent of registered voters disapprove of Trump's handling of inflation, compared with 22 percent who approve.
This marks a decrease from January 2026, when approval stood at 35 percent.
Panelist and Wall Street Journal reporter Meridith McGraw noted that Americans “aren’t buying” the White House’s attempt to “convince” people that “how they feel about the economy is different than what’s really happening.”
'They Aren't Buying It'
While Donald Trump continues to tout a good economy, his approval rating continues to plummet.
“People are really frustrated with how the White House has handled issues like inflation, and they are at this moment where they are trying to convince the American people that how they feel about the economy is different than what's really happening. For a lot of Americans, as reflected in the poll, they aren't buying it,” she said.
54 percent of registered voters favored a Democratic congressional candidate, while 45 percent preferred a Republican candidate heading into the midterms.
In response to those numbers, the Fox News host said the results are “clearly in the Democrats’ corner.”
- Donald Trump Boasts About 'Loving Inflation' as Prices Reach 3-Year High: 'The Numbers Were Great'
- 'Let Me Finish': NBC's Kristen Welker Slams Sen. Tim Scott as He Tries to Shift Blame for Rising Costs on Joe Biden Instead of Donald Trump’s Tariffs
- Donald Trump Loses It After Being Asked About Inflation During Heated Exchange
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
Bret Baier has corrected Donald Trump previously regarding his claims of success in the Iran war.
This wasn’t the first time the Fox News host corrected or fact-checked the POTUS.
In early 2026, after Trump posted on Truth Social declaring "Mission Accomplished" regarding tensions with Iran, Baier issued a swift correction on Special Report.
He read Treasury and diplomatic updates to clarify that the conflict was far from resolved, directly refuting Trump's claims that a peace plan was actively finalized.
Additionally, Bureau of Labor Statistics figures from September cited during the segment placed overall inflation at 3.7 percent, with gasoline costs up 34.2 percent and fuel oil up 74.2 percent.
'That's What This Election Has Been About'
Donald Trump's higher costs are leading to a likely blue wave in the November midterms, according to reports.
The POTUS took another economic blow on Thursday, October 15, when it was announced that wholesale prices jumped a whopping 6.3 percent in September, the biggest annual gain since 2022.
While introducing the segment detailing the public’s immense frustration with the state of the economy ahead of the midterms, Baier succinctly summed up the situation in one word.
“Costs. That's what this election has been about. If you look at the polls: higher costs," he said.
