During his brief 10-week tenure, this past week stood out as the most influential and remarkable for President. Donald Trump ’s second administration.
Between his stunning reciprocal tariff plan and dismantling of elements Of the federal bureaucracy, which he deems largely unnecessary, the president spoke of draining the swamp. political elites crazy and gauged the level of backing from the Make America Great Again community.
To start with, here’s what happened: Over the weekend, planned anti-Trump demonstrations were set for multiple cities. Authorities surrounded the White House with barricades as a precautionary measure. This came after actions taken by both Trump and his advisor, Elon Musk; these actions reportedly led a progressive congressional pair to deface their neighbors' Teslas with spray-painted graffiti. Consequently, they now face legal consequences.
Next, we have the president’s backers who until now have expressed support for his dedication to fulfilling his pledges, such as implementing tariffs to even the playing field in trade and tackling corruption known as draining the swamp. Daily Mail issued a poll indicating that Trump maintained a 53% approval rating despite the stock market effects of the tariff measures being experienced.
This is the area for which I am responsible—I'm talking about large sections of this nation where you've got the Appalachian Midlands, beef producers in the Plains states, and manufacturers across the board—all these groups hold a significantly different perspective compared to those who are anxious about tariffs. They are quite content to bide their time... https://t.co/p3q9IWFeXC
— ZitoSalena (@ZitoSalena) April 5, 2025This week, his actions seemed to increase the divide between the two factions. The significant plunge in the stock market caused critics and his tepid backers to be deeply upset, whereas his base, who were not as financially tied to the stock market but rather focused on better paychecks, remained steadfast. They even joined Trump at an event about tariffs held in the Rose Garden.
In this week's White House Report Card, conservative commentator Jed Babbin awarded a "C plus" rating and highlighted President Trump’s efforts to decrease regulations related to climate change as positive points. On the other hand, Democratic pollster John Zogby gave the week a "D minus," criticizing the implementation of new tariffs.
Jed Babbin
Grade: C+
It was a varied week for President Donald Trump as he faced additional hurdles to his policy goals from various courts and global condemnation of his actions. “Liberation Day” tariffs however, a daring initiative to reverse many aspects of the Biden administration’s environmental agenda.
It appears that everywhere you look, judges are handing out nationwide injunctions aimed at halting actions taken by Trump. The most severe instance was from U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, who threatened potential contempt of court charges against Trump and his associates for not adhering to his directive forbidding the continuation of deportation flights involving members of the Tren de Aragua gang.
A conflict is emerging regarding the "state secrets privilege," which allows the federal government to conceal information when it poses a threat to national security. While initial appeals against Judge Boasberg's rulings won't prevail, the U.S. Supreme Court will uphold the state secrets privilege.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Achieved significant milestones by decreeing that male and female service members must meet identical physical requirements for combat roles. Regardless of personal views, this logic is sound. A 120-pound woman would struggle to drag a 220-pound man away from an engagement zone. Natural laws remain consistent across all locations; attempting to defy these principles often leads to adverse outcomes.
Trump wants to roll back former President Joe Biden’s automobile environmental standards, which is a very good idea. Those standards were intended to force purchases of electric vehicles and strangle the market for gas-powered cars and trucks. Reversing the Biden nonsense is a win for everyone except the electric vehicle climate change crowd.
Opinions remain divided regarding Trump’s tariffs. The stock market experienced a significant downturn, dropping more substantially than at any point since the onset of the pandemic in 2020. Numerous economists predict an impending economic recession. (Should you struggle to locate an economist with your desired viewpoint, it suggests you haven’t searched thoroughly enough.) These tariffs were set to be roughly half as high as those imposed by other nations on American goods. China China has implemented a 34% tariff on American products as a reaction to actions taken by President Trump. This move poses a challenge for China since it enjoys an approximate yearly trade surplus of $300 billion, with the value of Chinese exports to the US surpassing those coming into China from the US. Such tariffs imposed by Trump could lead multiple nations to reduce their own tariffs, thus opening up numerous new market opportunities. However, my concern lies in how these tariffs tend to be inherently inflationary; this is something we experienced quite extensively during the previous administration under Biden.
John Zogby
Grade: D-
The encouraging update: In March, 228,000 new jobs were added. However, this was the least fortunate week for President Donald Trump overall.
In our recent John Zogby Strategies survey, 44% of Americans expressed shame about him being president compared to 37% who felt pride. However, nearly the same difference shows that 43% would rather have him in the White House over his predecessor, the former vice president. Kamala Harris (37%) In April polls, his approval ratings have flipped. This includes the latest survey by Reuters/Ipsos, showing that just 43% approve of how he’s performing his role.
According to other surveys, 72% of all Americans (and 64% of Republicans) think that his new tariffs will lead to higher prices in the near future, with just 5% expecting them to decrease. It’s extremely difficult to come across an esteemed economist who would support the notion that increasing immediate costs is beneficial. Moreover, American consumers, numerous of whom rely heavily on each paycheck, lack the luxury of contemplating potential long-term advantages.
The Financial Times published a leading opinion piece criticizing President Trump’s tariffs as a unilateral move detrimental to his own leadership. Families with an annual income of $43,000 could see everyday item costs jump by another 8%. In contrast, Lesotho, a less developed nation in Southern Africa, might experience a dramatic 99% hike in the cost of one of its primary exports—denim fabric for trousers. Additionally, this smaller economy is struggling further due to reduced support from USAID funds previously allocated primarily toward healthcare services.
Stock market declines due to the newly imposed tariffs are fueling concerns about a potential market crash.
In what seems to be a consequence of his meeting with podcast host Laura Loomer, the president dismissed seven crucial members of the National Security Council.
It feels like being stuck in Gotham City—minus the charm. Caped Crusader .
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Jed Babbin He is a contributing writer for the Washington Examiner and previously served as the deputy undersecretary of defense during the administration of former President George H.W. Bush. You can follow him on X. @jedbabbin .
John Zogby is the creator of the Zogby Survey and a senior partner at John Zogby Strategies . His latest book, Past the Horse Race: Understanding Polls and Their Significance , has just been launched. In this podcast, he collaborates with his son and managing partner as well as pollster, Jeremy Zogby. can be heard here Follow him on Twitter @ZogbyStrategies .