This week’s White House Report Card graders offer a frustrating preview of President Trump’s record at 100 days, the traditional timeline that the president dismissed as a “ridiculous standard.”
John Zogby
The presidential honeymoon really never got started. During his 2016 campaign, President Trump not only promised to do a lot of things, but he swore they would get done his first day in office.
Aside from his flourish of questionable executive orders, the president has not accomplished any of his agenda through legislation. There are no prospects for repeal and replacement of Obamacare, tax cuts, trillion dollar infrastructure renewal, a wall along the Mexican border, immigration reform, and more. House Speaker Paul Ryan says none of that will be in the upcoming budget and another government shutdown looks at least possible.
After 5 SB victories since 2002, it was my honor to give Bob Kraft, Coach Belichick, and the players their first tour of the WH Residence. pic.twitter.com/axmdkTmNtF
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 22, 2017
He has gotten his Supreme Court appointment through the Senate and his polling numbers are holding. On the international front, someone please tell us where the USS Carl Vinson really is. That just was not cool.
Grade D
Jed Babbin
So many parts of President Trump’s foreign policy remain a mystery to friend and foe. The president and Vice President Pence both spoke strongly against North Korea’s belligerence and constant threats, saying that every option is on the table. At the same time, national security advisor H.R. McMaster was saying that the matter had to be settled without military action. McMaster and the president talk often, but do they communicate?
No matter how much I accomplish during the ridiculous standard of the first 100 days, & it has been a lot (including S.C.), media will kill!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 21, 2017
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told Congress that Iran was complying with the terms of the Obama nuclear weapons deal with that terrorist nation. Conservatives jumped on that statement, saying Tillerson was giving up on Iran. He would have been better advised to say we don’t know if Iran is complying with the deal, which is entirely true. Not only are many parts of Iran off limits to inspectors, but Iran’s partnership with North Korea on nukes and missiles indicates part of the work must be going on in North Korea. Tillerson’s statement, though said there was a new review of the deal, hinting at new sanctions and possible further action on the Obama deal with Iran – maybe revocation? – by the president.
Mr. Trump indicated that he wanted funding for his border wall in the bill to continue funding the government, which has to be passed before month’s end. Democrats, of course, said they’d refuse. That raises the possibility of a government shutdown coming at the same time as Mr. Trump’s 100th day in office. Counter-intuitively, this could result in a big win for the president whichever way it goes.
Grade C
John Zogby is the founder of the Zogby Poll and senior partner at John Zogby Strategies. His latest book is and author of We are Many, We are One: Neo-Tribes and Tribal Analytics in 21st Century America. Follow him at @TheJohnZogby
Jed Babbin is an Examiner contributor and former deputy undersecretary of defense in administration of former President George H.W. Bush. Follow him @jedbabbin
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected]
