President Donald Trump prefers to run the room. He thrives on commanding the second and flooding the air with bravado earlier than doubt has an opportunity to breathe. Hardly ever does he let something interrupt the efficiency — least of all vulnerability.
However for a fleeting beat this week, the bluster thinned. In a uncommon flash that sounded much less like dominance and extra like frustration, Trump let slip one thing he nearly by no means concedes publicly — that the numbers aren’t cooperating and the glow he insists surrounds him isn’t displaying up in every single place he seems.
At a White Home ceremony Monday, Feb. 23, Trump lamented his tanking numbers, saying it “simply amazes” him, earlier than shortly pivoting and disingenuously claiming he has one thing known as “silent help.”
“Our folks, they’ve been unimaginable,” Trump started. “The job they’ve carried out and so they take nothing however abuse, however they’re kind of fairly hardened to that, I believe as a result of they know they’re doing the fitting factor,” Trump tried to spin earlier than conceding what a majority of Individuals have identified for months now.
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“It simply amazes me that there’s no more help on the market,” a beaten-down Trump acknowledged.
Then he shortly returned to his worn playbook of rehashing election outcomes, this time claiming the 2024 presidential election was “rigged” as a result of he didn’t win by increased numbers.
“It’s simply we even have a silent help. I believe it’s silent,” he mentioned, creating a brand new model of help.
“I believe that’s how I gained. I acquired in all probability 85 million votes. They are saying 78, 79 million. They cheated at this election, too. It was simply too huge to rig, too huge to rig,” an accusatory Trump complained about truly profitable the election, maybe implying that latest polling was not correct as a result of his unpopularity at this level in his second time period is beautiful.
Trump beat rival former Vice President Kamala Harris by 1.5 share factors, based on the Pew Analysis Heart, or by 77.3 million to Harris’ simply over 75 million votes within the 2024 election.
However a tone-deaf Trump wasn’t carried out. He continued to brag, as he has for months, that the U.S. economic system is “the best we’ve ever had.”
“We’ve a rustic that’s now doing nicely. We’ve acquired the best economic system we’ve ever had, essentially the most exercise we’ve ever had,” he insisted.
A social media frenzy erupted as customers expressed shock and dismay at Trump’s duplicity.
“Deluded,” a Threads person proclaimed, whereas one other chimed in, “It’s known as delusional narcissism.”
Nonetheless one other acknowledged, “My god is he a large number.”
This poster agreed, “By each metric, Trump’s management has ruined the economic system. And the American folks comprehend it.”
At one other level Trump insisted the ballot numbers have been “pretend information.”
“While you get a pretend ballot …. I noticed one right now … 40%. I’m not at 40%, the true quantity is way increased.”
However that’s not what the precise numbers present, and definitely low and middle-income Individuals know this higher than anybody. Job progress is down, wages are stagnant, groceries and utility payments have risen since Trump began his second time period final January, and inflation continues to be worrying the Federal Reserve.
4 new polls bear this out, displaying that help for Trump is collapsing.
In a Washington Publish-ABC Information-Ipsos ballot launched on Sunday, Feb. 22, simply 39 p.c of Individuals approve of Trump whereas 47 p.c “strongly disapprove,” based on Politico.
In relation to different points, a stunning 58 p.c disapprove of how the President is dealing with certainly one of his prime agenda gadgets, immigration, and 57 p.c disapprove of how he’s managing the economic system. While you break that down even additional, 64 p.c disagree along with his tariff coverage and 65 p.c don’t like the best way he’s addressing inflation.
CNN launched a brand new survey on Monday, Feb. 23, displaying he’s dropping main floor amongst independents with simply 26 p.c approving of his presidency now, 15 factors decrease than a 12 months in the past.
And simply 38 p.c mentioned Trump’s insurance policies are serving to the nation.
Nonetheless one other survey from NPR/PBS/Marist finds a majority of Democrats and independents, 6 in 10, consider the nation is worse off since Trump began his second time period, whereas 82 p.c of Republicans consider it’s higher off.
And by the best way, you’d by no means know Trump groused about his ballot numbers and the 2024 election on the White Home occasion on Monday.
His bitter grapes rehashing of the election and misinformation concerning the economic system overshadowed his proclamation of a “Nationwide Angel Household Day,” meant to honor these whose family members have been killed in violent crimes dedicated by immigrants missing everlasting authorized standing.
