Eddie Scarry writes for the Federalist about President Donald Trump’s political fortune.
It’s only a little more than a month into the second year of President Trump’s second term, but it’s turning out to be a MAGA disappointment. Fortunately, there’s still time ahead of the November midterm for Trump to get his administration back on course, make substantial progress on his campaign agenda, and make the coming elections at least not as bad as they’re set to be right now.
There have been big wins in 2026, to be sure. The administration turbocharged its deportation operation, crime rates are still falling, and the economy continued to recover from the dismal Biden years. Trump even fired Kristi Noem from Homeland Security, mercifully sparing the nation from more of her Barbie-Goes-To-The-Border looks. On the global scene, Trump took out a problematic despot in Venezuela and strong-armed the Mexican government into more aggressive policing of its narco state.
And virtually all of 2025 was nothing but wins: Trump righteously pardoned Jan. 6 political prisoners, ended the USAID scheme, and eliminated corrupt, racist DEI operations from the federal government, pressuring other institutions and businesses to do the same.
But the tides have turned in recent weeks. Trump relented to some degree on the highly necessary immigration enforcement initiatives in fraud-riddled Minnesota. He announced he’s attending — for the first time — this year’s White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, which only serves to legitimize the most manipulative, dishonest people in the country.
And, well, he just started an indefinite war in the Middle East, largely at the behest of Israel, which is one thing he said he’d never do. (By the way, you and I can’t say it was largely at the behest of Israel. Only Trump can. But he denies it.) On top of that, it looks like Trump is probably going to endorse Texas Sen. John Cornyn for reelection over his Republican opponent, Ken Paxton, even though Cornyn has proven to be, at best, a typical lazy, mediocre RINO.
