Trump Is Doing What FDR Could Not
Key takeaways
- His approval ratings have fallen to historic lows, and his standing with key segments of the electorate that formed his 2024 coalition—including Latinos—has sharply declined.
- And yet, Trump remains an extraordinarily strong party leader.
- In Indiana, his intervention in state races contributed to the defeat of Republican incumbents in the state legislature who refused to comply with his demands for mid-century redistricting.
President Donald Trump is struggling. His approval ratings have fallen to historic lows, and his standing with key segments of the electorate that formed his 2024 coalition—including Latinos—has sharply declined. He has been unable or unwilling to shift his attention to the issues that matter most to working Americans, such as affordability and the threat that artificial intelligence poses to middle class jobs. By every measure, his administration is dragging down Republicans’ prospects of retaining control of Congress, including the Senate, in the upcoming midterm elections. Nothing has been causing Republicans more problems than the president. The only thing that can save them is if the combination of redistricting, voting restrictions, and the presence of federal troops in cities can overcome the natural direction of the democratic will.
And yet, Trump remains an extraordinarily strong party leader. He has repeatedly demonstrated the ability to retain firm support within the Republican Party and to punish his opponents. In recent primaries, he showcased that strength by helping to unseat a number of Republicans who he believed had crossed him.
President Donald Trump is struggling. His approval ratings have fallen to historic lows, and his standing with key segments of the electorate that formed his 2024 coalition—including Latinos—has sharply declined. He has been unable or unwilling to shift his attention to the issues that matter most to working Americans, such as affordability and the threat that artificial intelligence poses to middle class jobs. By every measure, his administration is dragging down Republicans’ prospects of retaining control of Congress, including the Senate, in the upcoming midterm elections. Nothing has been causing Republicans more problems than the president. The only thing that can save them is if the combination of redistricting, voting restrictions, and the presence of federal troops in cities can overcome the natural direction of the democratic will.