thought it was in a foreign language, is now prancing around with delusions of monarchy while half of America collectively sighs, groans, and reaches for the Advil.
If you haven’t had the misfortune of seeing it yet, the White House’s official X posted a digital portrait of Trump that looks like it was whipped up by a discount graphic designer on Fiverr. In this masterpiece of bad taste, Trump is wearing a crown with his trademark smug expression. The caption? “Long live the king!”
Of course, democratic institutions like USAID and his increasingly unglued rhetoric, and it’s clear: He sees himself as a monarch who answers to no one.
While Trump is busy burning bridges with allies on all sides of the U.S. border, the rest of America is not impressed. A CNN poll conducted by SSRS, which surveyed 1,206 adults with a margin of error of ±3.1 percentage points, reveals deep dissatisfaction with Trump’s overall leadership style. More specifically, 52% of Americans disapprove of his job performance.
His approval rating sits at a measly 47%, which, even for Trump, is pretty poor. To put it into perspective, the only president in recent history who started their term with worse numbers is… Trump himself during his first term. If nothing else, he’s consistent in his ability to underwhelm. Furthermore, a whopping 62% of Americans believe Trump hasn’t done enough to address the rising cost of living — an issue that transcends party lines. Even 47% of Republicans agree that he’s falling short on this front. Inflation and everyday expenses are top concerns for Americans.
More than half of Americans think Trump has overstepped his authority, whether it’s his push to shutter federal agencies or his decision to elevate Elon Musk to a prominent government role. What’s even more telling is the emotional response to Trump’s presidency. The poll found that 54% of Americans feel pessimistic or afraid about the future of his second term, a sharp rise from December’s 48%. The share of Americans who specifically feel “afraid” has jumped to 35%. Fear is becoming the defining emotion of Trump’s America.
Trump’s is also dwindling among groups he once made inroads with. Among 18–34-year-olds, his approval rating has fallen to 41%, down from 57% during the transition. Hispanic adults have also soured on him, with approval dropping to 41% from 50%. And Black adults? His now sits at a dismal 23%, down from 30%. These groups are also more likely than white Americans to feel that Trump’s presidency has been worse than expected. For example, 35% of Hispanic adults and 30% of Black adults say Trump has disappointed them, compared to just 20% of white respondents.
This erosion of among younger and minority voters is significant. These are the voters Trump needs to maintain any semblance of a coalition, and he’s losing them. Fast. Maybe it’s because they see through his empty promises. Or maybe they’re just tired of the spectacle. Either way, the numbers don’t look good.
Here’s the thing. Self-proclaimed kings don’t tend to have happy endings. Napoleon ended up in exile, staring at the walls of a damp island. Mussolini thought he was untouchable until he wasn’t, and Hitler’s grand delusions ended in a bunker. History doesn’t look kindly on men who overreach. So, while Trump might think he’s untouchable now, the cracks are already starting to show (not just because his FBI director is openly ignoring his latest demand for Elon Musk to “get more aggressive”).
Published: Feb 24, 2025 02:54 pm