Donald Trump’s Honeymoon Is Over
It seems President Trump’s Project 2025 agenda, his economy-jolting tariff strategies, and his strange fixations—from renaming the Gulf of Mexico to eyeing Greenland—are already alienating many Americans.
It’s taken barely over two months for Trump to burn through whatever post-election goodwill he may have had. According to Gallup, his approval rating has steadily declined from 47% to 45% and now sits at 43%, as Americans witness what Trump and his billionaire inner circle are actually putting into motion. That includes a full dive into the Project 2025 plan—a hard-right policy framework Trump had previously tried to disavow during the campaign.
So far, his priorities have included rebranding geographic landmarks, provoking allies like Canada and Mexico with tariff threats, and even floating the idea of a third presidential term. As if that weren’t chaotic enough, he’s handed Elon Musk unprecedented influence over federal agencies, while vital programs like cancer and Alzheimer’s research face budget threats. Musk, meanwhile, has seen his popularity fall by 10 points between February and March, according to a Harvard-HarrisX poll, as worker protests erupt at Tesla factories nationwide.
Let’s be real: Trump’s mandate was never as overwhelming as he claimed. He entered office riding a rare moment of popularity and, for the first time, with a popular vote win. But that support is rapidly eroding. Just 38% of Americans approve of his handling of trade talks, 40% on the economy, and 41% on Social Security and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, according to a new Associated Press–NORC poll. Even his strongest issue, immigration, polls at a lukewarm 49%.