As President Donald Trump enters just his 132nd day in office on Saturday, our White House Report Card finds him in a good position.
The courts gave him wins on his tariff and immigration policy, inflation surprised by ticking down, he heralded a series of DOGE victories in bidding Elon Musk farewell, and he’s getting ready to head the first modern-day military parade in Washington on June 14.
His approval rating is holding, more people than ever believe the country is heading in the right direction, and two-thirds of voters, even those who supported former Vice President Kamala Harris, like his America-first focus.
“The president’s doing well,” said Democratic pollster John Zogby, one of our co-graders, though he also cited Trump’s inability to nail down some really big victories.
Even more than in his first term, people view Trump as a glass half full or half empty. A Washington Post headline today, for example, screamed: “Trump plows ahead after one big, bad, sometimes ugly week full of setbacks.” At the Washington Examiner, Editor Hugo Gurdon and chief political correspondent Byron York headlined their video chat, “Trump’s accomplishments getting the public’s approval.”
In this week’s report card, conservative Jed Babbin graded Trump’s week a B-minus, noting that the “big, beautiful bill” faces hurdles in the Senate. Zogby graded it a C-minus and added a fun note that in a hypothetical election, Trump would win again.
Jed Babbin
Grade: B-
It was a pretty good week for President Donald Trump with his “Liberation Day” tariffs being struck down and quickly revived by the courts, his “One big, beautiful bill” — now OBBB — having a rocky time in Congress, and Canada asking to be covered by his Golden Dome missile defense.
Trump said Canada could get Golden Dome coverage — if it became the 51st state. The Canadians won’t agree to that, but should pay tens of billions of dollars to be included.
The “Liberation Day” tariffs were struck down by a lower court and then restored at least for a while by the federal circuit. Meanwhile, Trump threatened iPhone tariffs if they’re not made in the U.S. He’s going to bring jobs back to the U.S. pretty much at any price.
The OBBB is having a rough time in the Senate. They’ll probably amend it to death, and Trump will be stuck celebrating a bill that doesn’t accomplish much of his agenda. The success of his second term depends on this bill and next year’s budget reconciliation.
Trump’s war with Harvard University continues. He and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have made progress by terminating student visa applications. Harvard’s student body is at least 25% foreign.
Across the aisle, Democrats are leaderless with people such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) vying for the top spot. Which brings us to the wit and wisdom of Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA). He said that AOC is the reason we have directions on shampoo bottles.
Elon Musk quit the DOGE pseudo-agency which has done yeoman’s work on cutting government waste. The hope is that DOGE will continue cutting and slashing away.
Meanwhile, Trump has, at long last, realized that Russian President Vladimir Putin doesn’t want to make peace in Ukraine. What Trump does now may determine the freedom of Europe for the next 50 years.
John Zogby
Grade: C-
Is President Donald Trump trying to lead or simply to make one point after another?
This week witnessed the end of two bromances — one with fellow autocrat Vladimir Putin, the other with fellow narcissist Elon Musk.
Trump issued several pardons, including one for a former Chicago gang leader running a drug trade from prison, the other for reality stars Todd and Julie Chrisley. He said he is considering pardoning two men imprisoned for plotting to kidnap liberal Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. He and his sons have enriched themselves following a private dinner with cryptocurrency leaders at his New Jersey golf club.
One federal court blocked his policy of global tariffs, calling it “illegal,” but another paused that pause, allowing the president to continue for now.
A judge blocked Trump’s efforts to stop Harvard University from enrolling foreign students. And the president, with the blessing of the Supreme Court, is ordering the deportation of about 3,000 Cubans, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans who were here legally and called vital to the community’s agriculture, poultry, and other industries. Curiously, these folks tend to be militantly anti-communist and conservative, and voted Republican when they achieve citizenship.
One poll seems to show Trump losing ground among young men. But a new poll by John Zogby Strategies does not find that at all. What’s more, the president is in a dead heat or even slightly ahead against any of several possible Democratic contenders in 2028.
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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 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.