There’s nothing Donald Trump believes in more than his own power of persuasion.
From “The Art of the Deal” to Trump Steaks to his foray into politics, Trump’s North Star has always been his confidence that he can convince anyone of anything.
Remember, simply by assuming the office of the president, Trump promised he’d end the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Day 1? Remember, on the day before he returned to the White House, he promised an agreement in Gaza that would lead to a “lasting peace”? Remember, he promised “on day one, we will end inflation and make America affordable again, to bring down the prices of all goods”?
Well, it turns out, governing is hard and simply showing up doesn’t lead to deals, even for Trump.
Russia’s invasion and the war in Gaza rage on. Inflation wasn’t ended, and food, apparel, gas, and tech product prices are all up since Trump was inaugurated.
In fact, much of the Trump agenda is stalling, unmoved by his threats, strong arming, pleas and pressure.
In Congress, his Big, Beautiful Bill narrowly passed the House and now faces huge hurdles in the Senate, where a number of Republicans are pushing back.
“These numbers are nothing short of stunning,” said Sen. Mike Lee. “Congress has hollowed out America’s middle class through reckless deficit spending and the inflation it causes.”
Sen. Rand Paul, who has been expressing his contend with the bill for weeks, said this week that the bill is “just not conservative.”
That follows Trump’s former DOGE lackey Elon Musk torching the bill upon his unceremonious exit from Washington.
“I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore,” he posted. “This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it.”
And some in the House — who voted against the bill — are coming out to echo his sentiments. Rep. Warren Davidson called Musk’s comments “The Big Beautiful Tweet,” and Rep. Thomas Massie simply said, “He’s right.”
Even Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, long a reliable Trump backer, told NewsNation she agreed with Musk “to a certain extent,” and that she wouldn’t have voted for it had she known everything that was in it.
Over on Trump’s favorite news network, Fox Business anchor David Asman ripped the bill, too, as “the most inefficient piece of crap I’ve ever seen.” He continued, “I mean, it really is a horrible, horrible bill when you think of all the stuff that the politicians shove into it.”
Things are getting so desperate that White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller put out nine(!) social media posts in defense of the bill over the course of three hours on Tuesday.
Elsewhere, Trump’s ill-fated, tariff adventures abroad continue, but with few souvenirs to show for them.
In a tweet late Tuesday night, he complained: “I like President XI of China, always have, and always will, but he is VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH!!!”
Trump’s tough talk on trade, and insistence that countries would line up to make deals with him, hasn’t produced much. And he’s clearly getting frustrated.
On Tuesday of this week, the U.S. trade representative sent a strongly worded letter to all U.S. trading partners asking them to submit their best trade proposals by Wednesday, the next day.
In other words, in the game of chicken Trump’s playing with our trading partners, they are calling his bluff.
The markets, too, are learning to ignore Trump’s tariff shenanigans — good news for investors and retirement accounts, bad news for Trump’s waning influence on world leaders.
A series of court rulings have paused and unpaused the tariffs in some cases, and Trump himself has significantly walked them back in others, all adding to the feeling that his pugnacious threats are losing some of their punch.
In 60 days, just one tentative trade deal with the U.K. has been made, despite promises that dozens would be reached.
So, on foreign policy, domestic policy, and trade policy, Trump is 0-3. In Ukraine and Gaza, peace seems to be getting further away; his massive spending bill is getting raked over the coals by members of his own party; and his signature tariffs haven’t come to fruition, nor have they effectively scared major trade partners into capitulation.
Is Trump’s power of persuasion dwindling? Is he now the TACO — “Trump always chickens out” — president, who few trust to make good on his word or back up his bombast?
Unsurprisingly, he didn’t do any of it on Day 1. I write this on Day 135. When does the clock run out on Trump’s art of the deal?
