Trump's failures are turning Americans away from him

The Hill

2 days ago

Most Americans now disapprove of Donald Trump's erratic, authoritarian and incompetent leadership, which has transformed the Republican Party into a cult of personality that rejects traditional Republican policies. Our country is suffering because of Trump's failures.
The New York Times' average of dozens of polls shows Trump's popularity in his second term peaked on Jan. 20, the day he was inaugurated, with an approval rating of 52 percent. But once people saw how awfully Trump governed, his popularity went steadily downhill. Only 44 percent of Americans approve of his performance and 52 percent disapprove, as of July 1.
In addition, a CNN poll found that only 44 percent of Americans approve of Trump's decision to attack nuclear sites in Iran, while 56 percent disapprove.
Trump's approval ratings undoubtedly will drop further as growing numbers of Americans feel the effect of his harmful policies and governance. As a result, Democrats with the right messaging are likely to capture majority control of the House of Representatives and increase their strength in the Senate in the 2026 elections.
Trump has radically transformed the Republican Party, which long branded itself as the party supporting small government, free enterprise, free trade, individual liberty, low taxes and nations threatened by the Soviet Union (and now Russia) and China. This is no longer the case.
The president has made big government even bigger by stretching the power of the executive branch to control our economy, interfere in our lives and limit our freedom of speech and other rights.
For example, Trump has declared eight national emergencies and issued 166 executive orders to act without seeking approval of Congress. He has ordered a massive increase in deportations of unauthorized immigrants and deprived some of due process of law; cut funding and barred foreign students from some colleges and universities with policies he dislikes; and federalized the California National Guard over the objections of the state's governor. These actions are being challenged in court.
Trump's unpredictable and changing tariffs — imposed without necessary congressional approval — are doing the opposite of what he promised and are harming all Americans. They will raise prices on many items we buy and increase inflation by acting as a massive sales tax. They will hurt businesses and farms that import and export goods, due to retaliatory tariffs levied by other nations. All of this will increase the unemployment rate.
In foreign policy, Trump has been more supportive of Russia than any past president, worsened relations with our traditional allies — even threatening to annex Canada, Greenland and the Panama Canal Zone — and cut support for Ukraine in its war against Russian invaders.
And alarmingly, we've seen federal law enforcement agents detaining or arresting Democratic elected officials — including Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), New York City Comptroller and unsuccessful mayoral candidate Brad Lander, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) — on trumped-up accusations for challenging the administration's anti-immigrant policies. This is outrageous conduct we expect to see in dictatorships, not democracies.
Because of his unpopularity, the 2028 presidential election is likely to see Republicans nominate a candidate who rejects Trump's most unpopular policies and offers a more traditional and stable style of leadership, like that provided by President Ronald Reagan. As a result, Trumpism — the contradictory, impulsive, extremist and vengeful policies and leadership style the president embraces — is likely to end after he leaves office.
Trump is a unique combination of con man, reality television star, marketing genius, BS artist and social media influencer, with the ability to lure Americans to follow him against their own best interests, like the legendary Pied Piper. Neither Vice President JD Vance nor any other possible 2028 GOP presidential nominee shows any signs of replicating Trump's brashness and charisma to continue the MAGA movement.
Trump was elected in 2024 by making extravagant promises, many of which he hasn't kept, including ending inflation on his first day in office, ending the war between Russia and Ukraine in 24 hours, ending the Israel-Hamas war and cutting energy prices in half. He said he would keep America out of wars, yet he joined Israel in attacking Iran.
As Trump's failures and false promises become more apparent, Republicans would be wise to review the results of the 1932 election, when voters ended the failed presidency of Herbert Hoover and GOP congressional majorities during the Great Depression.
Franklin D. Roosevelt swept to power with 89 percent of the Electoral College vote and 57 percent of the popular vote. Democrats won a 59-36 majority over Republicans in the Senate and a 310-117 majority over Republicans in the House (with the Farmer-Labor Party picking up five seats).
No one should expect the 1932 level of success from Democrats when a new president and Congress are elected in 2028. But if Republicans refuse to turn their backs on the many failures of Trumpism, which by then will be painfully clear, they will go down to defeat.
To avoid that fate, look for Republicans to stop being the party of Trump four years from now.
A. Scott Bolden is an attorney, former New York state prosecutor, NewsNation contributor and former chair of the Washington, D.C. Democratic Party.