After win streak, Trump plateaus: White House Report Card – Washington Examiner
The article discusses a recent plateau in President Donald Trump’s approval ratings following a previous streak of high marks. Despite back-to-back weeks of strong performance, Trump’s momentum was affected by new court setbacks, controversial tariff policies, and backlash within his own MAGA base over his attorney General Pam Bondi’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case. Independent polls indicate that Trump’s support is leveling off or declining, partly due to his statements on allowing illegal migrants to continue working in farming and hospitality industries, which caused unease among some supporters.
Two courts also challenged Trump’s immigration policies, including efforts to end birthright citizenship, leading to ongoing legal battles. Nevertheless, Trump’s resolve remains strong, motivated by a sense of urgency after surviving an assassination attempt a year prior.
Political analysts offered contrasting assessments: Democratic pollster John Zogby gave the week an “F,” highlighting confusion in the governance, inconsistent tariff deadlines, and internal contradictions on immigration policy, suggesting signs of trouble for the MAGA movement. In contrast, conservative commentator Jed Babbin awarded a “B+,” emphasizing Trump’s steadfast stance in trade conflicts with countries like China and Canada, and the ongoing degradation of Iran’s military leadership. Babbin also noted Trump’s personality as entertaining and impactful, if not flawless.
the article portrays a complex and turbulent period for Trump’s presidency marked by legal challenges, policy controversies, and mixed reactions among supporters and critics alike.
After win streak, Trump plateaus: White House Report Card
A three-peat was not in the cards for President Donald Trump, whose back-to-back A+ weeks were overshadowed by new court losses, more market rattling tariffs, and MAGA outrage over his attorney general’s moves in the Jeffrey Epstein sex case.
Independent polling showed Trump’s uncharacteristically high approval rate leveling off or dipping after he started talking about letting the farming and hospitality industries keep using illegal migrants and following Attorney General Pam Bondi’s statement that Epstein had no client list for his sex trafficking and that she didn’t plan to release any more information about the old case.
Two courts also hit Trump’s immigration agenda, including one that found a way around a U.S. Supreme Court warning to stop his end to so-called birthright citizenship.
It is, however, unlikely that any of that will slow the president and his plans. That’s because one year after he survived an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, he has an unstoppable “urgency of now.”
According to Washington Examiner reporter Salena Zito, who witnessed the shooting and just published her book on the attempted killing, Butler: The Untold Story of the Near Assassination of Donald Trump and the Fight for America’s Heartland, Trump “understands between now and dead, he wants to get s*** done.”
I really though Trump 2.0 was going to break the polling mold.
It still might, but this week hurt: pic.twitter.com/qV67siqvu0
— Mark Mitchell, Rasmussen Reports (@honestpollster) July 10, 2025
Democratic pollster John Zogby graded the week an “F,” and asked, “Could this be the week when the MAGA movement has started to unravel?”
Conservative grader Jed Babbin gave the week a “B+” and said Trump is likely to beat back court challenges to his immigration policies again and should win on key tariff challenges.
John Zogby
Grade: F
Could this be the week when the MAGA movement has started to unravel? Overall, it looks in its most benign form, the Trump administration has launched a state of confusion that reigns supreme.
The president’s tariff policies cannot be charted on a graph. Deadlines are written in stone, then pushed back, only to be pushed back again. It appears that nothing the president has threatened has come to fruition, including deadlines to sign new deals. Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to face a trade deficit and uncertainty.
The president has also issued ultimatums on deportations, yet fewer have been deported than under former President Barack Obama. In a Cabinet meeting this week, he matter-of-factly declared that he would push legislation to grant amnesty to those here illegally and who work on farms. He claimed he did not want to punish growers or hardworking people. Minutes later, his agriculture secretary said there would be no amnesty.
His attorney general announced this week that the list of “clients” of convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein did not exist — even though it has been seen by some folks already. Starting with Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino, on down to local MAGA leaders, there is anger at Attorney General Pam Bondi and Trump, and that looks like buyer’s remorse.
Then there is the short shelf-life of praise for the “big, beautiful bill” that congressional Republicans are going to have to sell to voters. The package includes severe cuts to Medicaid, threatens local (especially rural) hospitals and clinics, adds additional spending for deportations (for people who will now get amnesty?), and increases $350 billion a year in ADDED deficits.
Jed Babbin
Grade: B+
While the Iranians are still screeching about the duty of every Muslim to kill President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, someone has been continuing the good work on Iran’s generals. It seems that since the Israeli air strike killed most of Iran’s military leaders, few can remain in their posts. More are dying almost daily. They must be running out of henchmen.
Trump’s tariff wars hit the front page again. Fights with China, Canada, and the European Union are at the top of the list. Canada will likely fold its cards. China won’t. They want a fight, which Trump will gladly deliver.
One federal court has issued another nationwide injunction against Trump’s birthright citizenship executive order. This may set up another Supreme Court battle.
Trump bought and paid for two new massive flagpoles for the White House this week. They cost him about $50,000. He may not be the best president we’ve ever had, but he’s the most fun since former President Ronald Reagan.
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John Zogby is the founder of the Zogby Survey and senior partner at John Zogby Strategies. His latest book is Beyond the Horse Race: How to Read Polls and Why We Should. His podcast with son and managing partner and pollster Jeremy Zogby can be heard here. Follow him on X @ZogbyStrategies.
Jed Babbin is a Washington Examiner contributor and former deputy undersecretary of defense in the administration of former President George H.W. Bush. Follow him on X @jedbabbin.
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