From court rulings and the ouster of his attorney general to tariffs, surging gas prices and a widening war with Iran, the past week intensified political pressures on President Trump in his second term.
He entered the week at a low point — an average approval near 39% — and has seen his standing worsen, especially on the economy, the issue voters consistently rank as most important.
Saturday
Millions participated in more than 3,000 “No Kings” anti-Trump rallies across the U.S., with demonstrations also held by expatriates in cities such as Paris, London and Lisbon. Opposition intensity is high: recent polls found historically large shares disapproving of the president and a majority opposed to the war in Iran.
Tuesday
Average gas prices reached roughly $4 per gallon, up about 37% (more than $1) since the Iran conflict began. Trump also lost two court battles: one over public media funding and another that halted White House ballroom construction until congressional approval. Later, a National Capital Planning Commission composed largely of Trump appointees moved to approve the ballroom plans.
Wednesday
Trump became the first known sitting president to attend Supreme Court oral arguments in person, there for a case central to his hard-line immigration agenda: ending birthright citizenship for children born on U.S. soil to parents who crossed the border illegally. A majority of justices, including conservatives he previously appointed, appeared skeptical of the government’s case. Trump stayed for his side’s argument and left soon after challengers began. He later posted on social media criticizing birthright citizenship.
Privately at the White House, he said that because the country is “fighting wars,” the federal government cannot sustain programs such as daycare, Medicaid and Medicare, suggesting those could be left to states. That remark underscored how the war is reshaping his priorities.
That evening he delivered a prime-time address on the Iran war. Markets initially hoped for a clear exit plan, but the speech offered no timeline for ending the conflict. Stock futures fell afterward, and markets reacted negatively.
Thursday
The day marked the first anniversary of the tariffs Trump imposed globally — a policy that polling indicates many Americans blame for higher costs. A new poll put approval of his handling of the economy at about 31%, his lowest on an issue that had been a political strength.
Following his address, oil prices spiked and stocks plunged; the Dow fell by more than 600 points before recovering somewhat amid reports of Iran cooperating with Oman on ship monitoring in the Strait of Hormuz. Late that morning Trump announced Attorney General Pam Bondi would leave the Justice Department. Bondi had been at the center of controversies over incomplete release of Epstein-related files, firings of Justice Department lawyers who prosecuted Jan. 6 defendants, and investigations of career prosecutors and perceived political opponents.
Friday
The weekly jobs report arrived amid signs the labor market was softening despite low unemployment. During Trump’s presidency there have been several months of negative job growth, a contrast with the earlier consecutive years of gains before he took office. Presidents often receive disproportionate credit or blame for economic trends, but analysts point to tariffs and the war — which have pushed up goods and gas prices — as key factors affecting public sentiment even as inflation itself has held steady.
Politically, the linkage between the war and the economy leaves Trump vulnerable. He has boxed himself in by offering no clear objectives or timeline for ending hostilities; in his address he warned the U.S. would “hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks” and vowed severe damage to Iran while saying “discussions are ongoing.” That rhetoric does not suggest a rapid de-escalation.
He also asserted the Strait of Hormuz would “open up naturally,” a comment critics likened to earlier optimistic assertions about other crises. The week’s developments are notable and ironic given that Trump campaigned on lowering prices and avoiding foreign wars; during his second inaugural he vowed to measure success not only by battles won but by wars ended and wars never entered.
Taken together — protests, court setbacks, tariff fallout, rising gas prices, market volatility, the attorney general’s exit, and a war without a clear endgame — the week deepened political strains on the president and left him with mounting pressure to find a path out of the conflict that has reshaped his domestic standing.