This week’s White House Report Card finds President Trump opening his bid for reelection in poor shape nationally, unsure of action in Iran and on the immigration front, and denying a new sex assault claim.
On Iran, his administration has moved to strengthen forces in the region but after the terrorist nation shot down a huge U.S. drone, the president moved to play it safe and not retaliate. It didn’t help that his acting Pentagon chief decided not to seek the job.
At the request of Democrats, I have delayed the Illegal Immigration Removal Process (Deportation) for two weeks to see if the Democrats and Republicans can get together and work out a solution to the Asylum and Loophole problems at the Southern Border. If not, Deportations start!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2019
On immigration, he had planned to begin rounding up illegal immigrants served with deportation letters, but backed down.
And he opened his reelection bid with a strong speech and even stronger fundraising take of $24 million in one day. But our grader and pollster John Zogby said that the president is in trouble — and behind Joe Biden — in the key battleground states that pushed him past Hillary Clinton in 2016.
John Zogby
Grade D
A week of challenges for the 45th president. He announced his bid for reelection as polls show him trailing leading Democrat Joe Biden by as much as double digits nationwide.
Even more ominous at this point is that he trails Biden (and other top Democratic candidates) in all of the key battleground states that he won in 2016 — Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa. He even trails in Arizona and Texas.
A memorable night on the South Lawn at the @WhiteHouse this evening. Thank you to the members of Congress & their families who joined us for our traditional Congressional picnic celebrating the start of summer! #SummerSolstice2019 pic.twitter.com/ZPtr1TfwFE
— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) June 22, 2019
All in the same week, he pushes the U.S. to the brink of war with Iran then claims to back down over concern for launching something the world would seen as asymmetric. But at least he backed down and the word buzzing around is that possibly diplomatic back channels may be in play. But the burning question is really was any of this really necessary?
Then the week ends with a famous gossip columnist writes that she was sexually assaulted by Trump in a department store changing room in 1996. I don’t know the merits of her story but at least we know that our commander in chief hung around with Playboy models, pornstars, gossip columnists, and shyster lawyers. There was a time that this would have raised red flags.
John Zogby is the founder of the Zogby Poll and senior partner at John Zogby Strategies. His latest book is We are Many, We are One: Neo-Tribes and Tribal Analytics in 21st Century America. Follow him on Twitter @TheJohnZogby
