Politics
‘A Broad-Based Crash’: Why Americans Are Now Abandoning Trump’s Agenda
By Jake Beardslee · May 6, 2025
Public Support for Trump’s Agenda Shows Signs of Decline
Public disapproval of President Donald Trump’s second-term agenda appears to be widening, with new polling and expert commentary suggesting a significant drop in support across major policy areas. A recent Salon article by senior writer Chauncey DeVega compiles analysis from multiple observers who argue that Trump’s approach is generating mounting public resistance. The White House / Wikimedia
Pollster Describes a “Broad-Based Crash” in Approval
Referencing a column in The Hill by Democratic pollster Mark Mellman, DeVega highlights concerns that the administration’s broad platform is faltering in the eyes of voters. “Trump is suffering a broad-based crash,” Mellman wrote. “Never before has a president presented so broad an agenda, so thoroughly rejected by the public. If you’re a Republican who won by less than 10 points, you are either frightened or foolish.” The White House / Wikimedia
Approval Drops Across Economic and Institutional Issues
The drop in support comes amid continued criticism of the administration’s handling of tariffs, inflation, immigration policy, and its use of executive authority. DeVega attributes the growing dissatisfaction to what he describes as Trump’s defiance of constitutional norms and reshaping of federal institutions. He writes that the president has demanded “more executive orders every day because he finds handing down diktats from on high so gratifying.” Edoardo Cuoghi / Unsplash
Trump Describes Leadership in Personal Terms
In an interview with The Atlantic, Trump characterized his leadership in personal terms, stating: “I run the country and the world.” He added, “I’m having a lot of fun, considering what I do…. You know, what I do is such serious stuff.” The White House / Wikimedia
Journalist Describes Impact on Democratic Institutions
Some experts, including author and journalist Steven Beschloss, have expressed alarm over what they view as erosion in institutional checks on presidential power. “Like so many Americans and other people around the world, I wake each morning with dread as I check what new thing Donald Trump has trashed today,” he said. The White House / Wikimedia
Foreign Policy and Institutional Changes Highlighted
Critics have also pointed to the administration’s changes in foreign policy, including shifts in U.S. alliances and speculation about territorial expansion. Matthew D. Taylor, a scholar at the Institute for Islamic, Christian, & Jewish Studies, noted Trump’s references to Greenland and the Panama Canal, adding, “What’s different this term is that Trump seems to have realized that he has the largest economy in the world and the most lethal military ever assembled at his command.” The White House / Wikimedia
Vega Raises Concerns Over Potential Constitutional Crisis
DeVega writes that Trump may eventually “defy a Supreme Court order or precipitate another constitutional crisis,” suggesting that such developments could lead to public reaction. “I expect we will see widespread protests,” he notes. Fine Photographics / Unsplash
Experts Say Pace of Policy Shifts Is Accelerating
Taylor also remarked on the speed with which Trump has enacted change, noting that “a lot of what has transpired in the past three months was prefigured” in policy outlines like Project 2025 but is unfolding faster than expected. Elvert Barnes / Wikimedia
Pushback from Civil Society and Courts Continues
DeVega notes that some pushback remains visible in the courts and among foreign leaders. “The number of law firms, billionaires, and others who have capitulated to Trump is appalling,” he wrote, “although the pushback in the courts remains a reason for hope.” Josh Morgan-USA TODAY via Imagn Images