From the courts and the firing of his attorney general to tariffs, gas prices and the war in Iran, the last seven days highlighted multiple stressors putting significant political pressure on President Trump in his second term.
Trump entered the week at a low point — a job approval rating around 39% in the poll average — and has slipped further. His handling of the Iran war, an unpopular conflict with no clear end, has worsened his standing on the issue voters cite most: the economy.
Saturday
Millions turned out for more than 3,000 “No Kings” anti-Trump rallies across the country and abroad. Opposition intensity is as high as ever; a recent poll found 59% disapproving of the president, with nearly half saying they “strongly” disapprove. That poll also found 58% disapprove of the war in Iran.
Tuesday
Average gas prices hit $4 a gallon, up roughly 37% (more than $1 a gallon) since the start of the Iran war. Trump also lost two court battles: one over funding for public media and another that ordered a halt to White House ballroom construction until Congress acted. Days later, the National Capital Planning Commission, filled with Trump appointees, gave its own approval to the ballroom plans.
Wednesday
Trump became the first known sitting president to attend Supreme Court oral arguments in person, for a case central to his hard-line immigration agenda that seeks to end birthright citizenship for children of people who cross the border illegally. A majority of justices, including three conservatives he appointed, appeared skeptical of the government’s case.
He stayed for his side’s argument and left shortly after challengers began theirs, later posting on social media, “We are the only Country in the World STUPID enough to allow ‘Birthright’ Citizenship!” He also made headlines at a private White House event saying the U.S. cannot afford federal programs like day care, Medicaid and Medicare while “fighting wars,” arguing those could be handled by states and that the federal government must prioritize military protection.
That night he delivered a prime-time address on the Iran war. Markets, which had rallied on the expectation of an exit strategy, tumbled after the speech, which offered no clear path to end the conflict.
Thursday
It was the first anniversary of his so-called “Liberation Day” tariffs. Polling shows many Americans blame his tariffs for worsening economic conditions. A new poll this week put approval of his handling of the economy at just 31% — his lowest on an issue that had been a strength and a key reason for his reelection.
Oil prices spiked after his Wednesday address and stocks fell sharply; the Dow was down more than 600 points before recovering somewhat when Iran indicated it was working with Oman on a protocol to monitor ships in the Strait of Hormuz. That afternoon, Trump announced Attorney General Pam Bondi was out. Bondi had been central to controversies over incomplete Epstein file releases, firings of Justice Department lawyers tied to Jan. 6 prosecutions, and probes of career prosecutors and others seen as political adversaries while aggressively defending the president.
Friday
The jobs report arrived amid signs the labor market is softening. Though unemployment remains low, there have been five months of negative job reports during Trump’s presidency, including the prior month — a stark contrast to the four straight years of monthly job gains before he took office.
Presidents often receive disproportionate credit or blame for the economy, but Trump’s tariffs and his decision to attack Iran alongside Israel have pushed up prices for goods and gas even as inflation has held relatively steady. Because the war and the economy are linked, Trump politically needs a quick exit from Iran; history shows prolonged wars can severely damage a president’s standing.
But his speech boxed him in. He offered no clear goals or timeline and said the U.S. would “hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks” and “bring them back to the Stone Ages, where they belong,” signaling continued escalation rather than de-escalation. He also insisted the Strait of Hormuz would “open up naturally. It’ll just open up naturally,” a remark that drew comparisons to past optimistic pronouncements.
The political burden is striking and ironic: a president reelected largely on promises to lower prices and keep the U.S. out of new wars is now being judged harshly on both fronts. As he put it during his second inaugural address, “We will measure our success not only by the battles we win, but also by the wars that we end — and perhaps most importantly, the wars we never get into.”
