In this week’s White House Report Card, President Trump is looking to Independence Day to revive his reelection campaign with a powerful declaration of war on the so-called “cancel culture” sweeping the nation targeting everything from the Founding Fathers to the Washington Redskins and the Cleveland Indians.
At Mount Rushmore Friday night, for example, Trump said, “Those who seek to erase our heritage want Americans to forget our pride and our great dignity, so that we can no longer understand ourselves or America’s destiny. In toppling the heroes of 1776, they seek to dissolve the bonds of love and loyalty that we feel for our country and for each other.”
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 4, 2020
Our graders were critical of the president’s week. Conservative analyst Jed Babbin graded a C-, highlighting inaction over reports Russia offered bounties to Taliban fighters to kill U.S. troops. Democratic pollster John Zogby, continuing a string of F grades, said Trump has yet to spell out why he wants a second term.
Jed Babbin
Grade C-
President Trump had a very busy and very mixed week with good economic news tempered by a rise in COVID-19 infections, the “Russia bounty” controversy, a Supreme Court win and formation of a new anti-Trump Super PAC.
The jobs report showed almost 5 million people had gone back to work since May, which was excellent news. But the fact that the COVID-19 infections are rising dramatically caused some states (notably California and Texas) to roll back their economic reopenings. The V-shaped recovery looks more U-shaped at this point.
The biggest controversy of the week began with a New York Times story that Russia had been paying bounties to Taliban fighters to kill U.S. troops. Trump claimed the story was a hoax. However, while both the CIA and national security adviser Robert O’Brien denounced the leaks on which the story was based, neither denied that the story was true. Trump may have been briefed on the matter in February or given a written briefing that he may not have read. The only real questions are: Is the report is true, and if so, what did Trump do about it? The answer is that the report is probably true, and Trump apparently did nothing about it.
A new super PAC was announced, claimed to be formed by hundreds of former President George W. Bush alumni to support Joe Biden over Trump. Whoever these people are, they will be quite vocal in the campaign and may be able damage Trump considerably.
Trump won a significant battle at the Supreme Court when the court decided to not allow Congress access to the grand jury material developed during the investigation of the president by special counsel Robert Mueller. The denial of access only lasts until the election, which means Democrats will probably get access to them next year — just in time to launch another impeachment of Trump if he’s reelected in November.
Trump threatened to veto the National Defense Authorization Act, the massive legislation for next year’s Defense Department functions, over a provision authored by Sen. Elizabeth Warren trying to force the renaming of military bases named for Confederate generals. By picking that fight, Trump seems to be playing into the hands of all of his opponents.
John Zogby
Grade F
Carl Bernstein wrote a damning report based on interviews with former senior Trump administration officials about a president who is a threat to national security, a bully, a shill for autocratic leaders, one who puts his own interests over the nation, a misogynist, and a man ignorant of history. None of this is really new except it provides a composite picture at a time when President Trump’s capacity to lead is spinning out of control. These were not just folks but former senior Cabinet officials.
The president for his part did not help himself this week. He retweeted a couple pointing guns at protesters and a supporter shouting ‘white power’ — then hid away on a golf course unreachable for three hours.
Trump received a briefing back in February about the Russians paying bounties to Taliban fighters to kill American personnel and Afghan civilians and never acted on it. And his approval rating is at 41%, with several prominent polls showing it below 40%.
State and local health officials warn that the COVID-19 crisis is getting out of control, several states are posting record numbers of new cases, and public health leaders are testifying that the worst is yet to come. A new jobs report came out and shows that a record 4.8 million new jobs were created last month. Trump, of course, touted it but his problem for now is that few are really feeling it. Another record: 75% now say the U.S. is headed in the wrong direction.
And the president finished the week by not being able to answer clearly why he wants a second term.
Jed Babbin is a Washington Examiner contributor and former deputy undersecretary of defense in the administration of former President George H.W. Bush. Follow him on Twitter @jedbabbin
John Zogby is the founder of the Zogby Poll and senior partner at John Zogby Strategies. His weekly podcast with son and partner Jeremy Zogby can be heard here. Follow him on Twitter @TheJohnZogby
