A cascade of setbacks last week intensified political pressure on President Trump in his second term. His approval ratings, already weak at roughly 39% on average, slipped further — with the biggest deterioration on the economy, the issue voters most often cite as paramount.
Nationwide protests and mounting opposition
Saturday saw millions take part in more than 3,000 “No Kings” demonstrations across the United States, with expatriate rallies in cities like Paris, London and Lisbon. Polling shows unusually high disapproval of the president and a majority of Americans opposing the war with Iran, signaling energized resistance on multiple fronts.
A string of policy and legal setbacks
By Tuesday, average gasoline prices had climbed to about $4 per gallon — roughly a 37% increase (over $1) since the Iran conflict began — amplifying public concern about the cost of living. The president also lost two court rulings: one involving public media funding and another that temporarily halted construction of a White House ballroom pending congressional approval. Later, a planning commission largely populated by Trump appointees moved to approve the ballroom plans.
Historic Supreme Court appearance and mixed reception
On Wednesday, Trump became the first known sitting president to attend Supreme Court oral arguments in person, appearing for a high-profile case seeking to end automatic birthright citizenship for children born in the U.S. to parents who crossed the border illegally. Several justices, including conservatives he appointed, appeared skeptical of the administration’s legal theory. Trump watched his side’s argument and left as challengers began. He later criticized birthright citizenship on social media.
Privately, he told aides at the White House that because the nation is “fighting wars,” the federal government could not sustain programs such as daycare, Medicaid and Medicare and suggested responsibility might shift to the states. That comment illustrated how the conflict has reshaped his domestic priorities.
Prime-time address, market reaction and economic fallout
That evening he delivered a prime-time speech on the Iran war. Markets had hoped for a clear exit plan; the address offered no timeline. Stock futures moved lower after the speech and markets later reacted negatively to subsequent developments.
Thursday marked the one-year anniversary of tariffs his administration imposed globally — a policy many voters blame for higher consumer costs. A new poll showed his approval on handling the economy at about 31%, a new low on an issue that once buoyed him. Oil prices spiked and the Dow plunged more than 600 points before recovering somewhat after reports that Iran and Oman were cooperating on ship monitoring in the Strait of Hormuz. That morning, Trump announced that Attorney General Pam Bondi would leave the Justice Department amid controversy over withheld files, actions against Jan. 6 prosecutors, and inquiries into career prosecutors and political opponents.
Signs of economic softening and political vulnerability
Friday’s jobs report suggested the labor market was softening despite low headline unemployment; several months of negative job growth have occurred during his presidency, contrasting with earlier consecutive years of gains before he took office. Analysts say tariffs and the war — which have pushed up prices for goods and fuel — are important factors shaping public sentiment, even as overall inflation has been relatively steady.
Politically, the week left Trump boxed in. He offered no clear objectives or timetable for ending hostilities, and in his address warned the U.S. would “hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks,” pledging severe damage to Iran while saying talks were continuing. He also predicted the Strait of Hormuz would “open up naturally,” a comment critics compared to past optimistic assurances about crises.
Taken together — mass protests, court defeats, tariff fallout, rising gas prices, market volatility, the attorney general’s exit and a war without a clear endgame — the developments deepened strains on the president and increased pressure to produce a political and strategic way out of a conflict that has reshaped his standing at home.