Another busy week for President Donald Trump is continuing into the weekend with the opening of trade and tariff negotiations in Geneva between Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng.
While considered just an ice-breaker, Washington and Wall Street are hoping that it will lead to a restructuring of the trading terms between the two economic giants. It is the main event in the Trump tariff agenda that scored its first big win this week in a deal with the United Kingdom.
On the negative side, a federal judge late Friday temporarily blocked Trump’s effort to drain the swamp when she said the president needs to get the input of Congress before moving forward with mass job cuts, the latest judicial hurdle to the administration.
And the president sowed confusion and controversy when he flashed his old Democratic side in proposing, then withdrawing, a tax on wealthy Americans.
Amid the hard news of the week, first lady Melania Trump brightened the East Room when she unveiled a new forever U.S. Postal Service Stamp featuring former first lady Barbara Bush. “I applaud Mrs. Bush’s mark defending our society’s vital need for women across all avenues, whether CEO or homemaker,” Trump said.
First Lady Melania Trump unveils a new stamp honoring First Lady Barbara Bush.
Beautiful! pic.twitter.com/ECNcyGt3J3
— FLOTUS Report (@MELANIAJTRUMP) May 8, 2025
Conservative grader Jed Babbin gave the president an “A-minus” for the week, citing the trade deals. Democratic pollster John Zogby, however, failed the president, citing the potential for economic chaos amid confusion over Trump’s tariff and economic agenda.
Jed Babbin
Grade: A-
It was a very good week for President Donald Trump with a new U.K. trade deal, a temporary win in the Supreme Court, and the Houthis’ capitulating to U.S. and Israeli air strikes.
The Britain trade deal, announced Thursday, isn’t enormously important by itself, but it paves the way for many others that will follow. Details were few, but it apparently applies a small (10%) tariff on U.K. steel and aluminum imports and cars. American exports are treated about the same.
There are, according to the administration, dozens more countries lined up to get trade deals. Trump has a good template for them with the U.K. deal. Moreover, the stock markets seem to be on the upswing, given the news of the deal.
The Supreme Court gave the Trump administration a big temporary win by enabling its ban on transgender military members to take effect despite a lower court’s ruling. Transgender personnel will start being thrown out of the military next month, according to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. There’s already an increase in recruitment for the armed forces. No more saluting people who don’t know what they are and who are more concerned with pronouns than lethality and readiness of the force.
The Houthis have apparently capitulated to U.S. and Israeli air strikes, saying that Red Sea shipping is safe from them. At least for a while. This came about after a massive Israeli airstrike destroyed the main Yemeni airport in the capital city of Sanaa after a Houthi missile struck near Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport. An exercise, as many might say, in FAFO.
John Zogby
Grade: F
The Federal Reserve refused to raise or lower interest rates because they were confused over whether we were headed into an inflationary, recessionary, or stagflationary period. President Donald Trump’s tariffs and trade policy is bringing on uncertainty to consumers, businesses, experts, and policymakers. Ford Motor Co. estimated that its best-selling models will cost more by at least $2,000 each. Seven-in-10 American adults report financial stress dominates their lives — a record. Market Watch reported that empty shelves are being seen all over the U.S. because of lack of inventory and parts.
Meanwhile, about 200 courts have blocked the president’s executive orders, and the administration is now talking about suspending habeas corpus in cases involving deportations.
A majority (51%) disapprove of how Trump is handling his job, including being 21 points down on handling inflation and 13 points down on the economy.
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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.
John Zogby is the founder of the Zogby Survey and senior partner at John Zogby Strategies. His latest book, Beyond the Horse Race: How to Read Polls and Why We Should, was just released. His podcast with son and managing partner and pollster Jeremy Zogby can be heard here. Follow him on X @ZogbyStrategies.