Trump's European Misery Tour: Low Mood, Lower Polls
Donald Trump's recent trip to Europe wasn't exactly a triumphant return. He faced fierce protests in Scotland, where signs and chants minced no words, demanding he return to America. On live television, he openly admitted to being "not in a good mood," lamenting a "dead country" under "incompetent Democrats." It's almost comical to see a president act like a petulant toddler, visibly miserable as he spews grievances.
And there's a good reason for his foul mood: his poll numbers are in the toilet. As CNN's numbers guy, Harry Enten, highlighted, Trump's approval ratings are not just bad; they're historically abysmal.
Net Approval Rating Among Independents: In January, it was -2 points; now it's a staggering -35 points. This represents a drop of over 25 points with a crucial demographic. Historically, this is the worst net approval rating ever recorded six months into a presidency among independents. Trump has broken his own previous record of -23 points.
Inflation: The issue that arguably propelled him to power—inflation—is now dragging him down the most. His net approval rating on inflation among independents is -45 points, worse than Joe Biden's was a year ago.
Signature Bill (Medicaid Cuts for Rich Tax Cuts): Polled at -25 overall and an even worse -44 with independents. As more people learn that this bill essentially "stole from their Medicaid to pay for permanent tax cuts for the rich," the backlash could intensify.
Immigration: Previously his strong suit, his approval on immigration is now -5 points, with consistently double-digit negatives on policies like "mass armed agents terrorizing neighbors and grandmothers."
Epstein: Last week, his net approval on Epstein was -35 points, and this scandal isn't going away.
These numbers paint a dire picture for the Republican Party, with Enten predicting that if these figures hold, the Republican majority in the House would be lost in 2026.
The Epstein Albatross: Trump Can't Escape the Truth
Despite his best efforts at distraction—from feuding with Rosie O'Donnell and threatening to denaturalize her, to bizarre pronouncements about cane sugar in Coca-Cola, demanding the Washington Commanders revert to a racist name, rehashing Hillary's emails, and spreading AI videos of Obama and Kamala's arrests—the Epstein scandal keeps returning to haunt him.
What's particularly telling is the shift in mainstream media. Reporters, perhaps emboldened by Rupert Murdoch's own Wall Street Journal running hard-hitting Epstein stories and Fox News publishing an op-ed calling out Tulsi Gabbard's "lies" on the issue, are finally finding their spine. They are asking Trump direct questions and doing follow-ups, a stark contrast to the past "sycophancy."
When pressed by reporters about his relationship with Epstein, Trump offered a revealing, unprompted denial: "I never went to the island. And Bill Clinton went there, supposedly, 28 times... I never had the privilege of going to his island." This unsolicited defense is classic Trumpian oversharing. As a media professional, it's a golden rule: never offer more information than asked, especially if it could incriminate you.
His reason for the "breach" with Epstein? Not the horrific crimes, but that Epstein "hired help" who used to work for Trump, claiming, "He stole people that work for me." This is particularly chilling when unsealed documents from 2019 revealed that some of Epstein's victims, including Virginia Giuffre (a notable accuser of Prince Andrew), worked at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort.
Trump's inability to simply call Epstein a "pedophile" or express any concern for the victims speaks volumes. His focus remains solely on himself and perceived slights, rather than the horrific abuse Epstein inflicted. As Waj’s guest on the
, Leland Nally, a journalist who made 2,000 phone calls for his Mother Jones investigation into Epstein's black book, highlighted, Trump's history of sexualized comments about young girls (including his own daughter) coincided with his partying with Epstein. Whether Trump went to Epstein's island is almost irrelevant; Mar-a-Lago effectively became his own "island," where Epstein's illicit activities continued.The Delusional Trade War: A Tax on Americans
Beyond the Epstein scandal, Trump's claims of "big, beautiful deals" and "trade wars" are also unraveling. While in Scotland, he announced a "major trade deal" with the European Union, including a 15% general tariff on most EU goods entering the U.S. and a 50% tariff on steel and aluminum remaining in place. He also boasted that the EU agreed to buy $750 billion worth of U.S. energy.
However, as David Lynch, a global economics correspondent for The Washington Post, clarified, Trump’s boasting and real policy don’t always align. These "tariffs" are effectively taxes on American consumers, not foreign entities. Businesses won't absorb these costs; they'll pass them directly to the consumer, raising prices on everything from European cars and French wines to chocolate and energy.
Furthermore, Trump's claims of reciprocal agreements from Europe—like buying $750 billion in U.S. energy or eliminating tariffs on American goods—are largely unconfirmed by European officials. Lynch noted a pattern of Trump announcing "framework trade agreements" on Truth Social or in press conferences that are not yet formally agreed upon. This is the consequence of having a "white supremacist moron" (as Wajahat puts it) in charge, someone who, despite attending Wharton Business School, fundamentally misunderstands how tariffs work. As one University of Michigan professor articulated, this "trade deal" means the American president "raises taxes on Americans across a wide range of goods," while the European Union's actions involve "tax cuts for Europeans across a narrow range of goods."
The "trade war" is a self-inflicted wound, hurting Americans while providing little tangible benefit. It's akin to "trade suicide," where other countries are content to protect themselves and forge stronger alliances with powers like China, Japan, and the EU, while the U.S. seemingly self-destructs. The apt analogy for Trump's presidency, and indeed his entire career, is that of an arsonist who burns down a house, then throws water on the onlookers and himself, demanding credit for being a firefighter. This reckless behavior, driven by what Wajahat identifies as the "twin sins of America—racism and greed"—manifests in Trump not as an "evil genius," but as a "moron" who continually abuses power without accountability. When confronted, his only response is rage and distraction.
Mental Instability and Mainstream Media's Double Standard
The public's perception of Trump's mental state is also a critical, yet often unaddressed, issue. While President Biden's every misstep was scrutinized for signs of mental decline, Trump's increasingly erratic behavior is often ignored or downplayed by the media. Comedian and actor Trayvon Free rightly questioned this double standard: "Are we not going to talk about how mentally unstable he is, or is that just reserved solely for Democrats?"
Take, for instance, Trump's recent rants against windmills, which he claims are "killing us," destroying scenery, and are "the most expensive form of energy," often "made in China." He even bizarrely asserted that their "propellers" can't be buried because "the fiber doesn't go well with the land." This irrational vendetta highlights a deeply unhinged perspective. It's like a real-life Don Quixote, but without any "noble intentions." We've all had that "doddering, racist, foolish, ridiculous punchline of a joke, uncle" in our families whom we might entertain in a corner with a piece of steak, but never make president. Yet, because this country remains "so racist" and "delusional," it has elevated this man twice.
Epstein & Gaza: The Intertwined Web of Deception
The media's newfound willingness to challenge Trump extends to his enablers. Recently, Kirsten Welker of Meet the Press notably pressed Senator Lindsey Graham, directly confronting him with a former senior CIA officer's rebuttal of Trump's claims about Obama. She boldly asked if he was "trying to rewrite history to distract from the Epstein matter." This marks a rare instance of confrontational journalism, moving beyond mere stenography.
Similarly, House Speaker Mike Johnson faced pointed questions about adjourning the House early, feeding the perception of "something to hide" in the Epstein matter. While Johnson insisted on releasing "all credible evidence" while "protecting innocent victims," Welker astutely countered, "Isn't that what redaction is for?" exposing the flimsiness of the argument.
The attempt to deflect blame is rampant. Senator Markwayne Mullin, for instance, tried to blame former President Barack Obama for Jeffrey Epstein's 2008 plea deal, despite Obama not being president at the time. This blatant historical distortion, an egregious display of "racism" (as Wajahat bluntly calls it), highlights how deep the delusion runs within certain political circles. It was, in fact, Alex Acosta, then U.S. Attorney, who gave Epstein an unprecedented "sweetheart deal," allowing him to largely avoid jail time despite being a convicted pedophile. Acosta later became Trump's Labor Secretary, raising further questions about the Trump administration's connections to Epstein's world. The Wall Street Journal even reported Acosta's claim that he was told Epstein was "intelligence," leaving open the chilling question of "intelligence for whom?"
This brings us to the horrific situation in Gaza. When a reporter asked Trump how he felt about images of starving children, his response was a rambling, nonsensical diatribe about "people stealing food," Iran, and Venezuela, completely detached from the question. When pressed whether Israel should "be doing more to allow food into Gaza," Trump's only concern was for someone to "say thank you" to the U.S., falsely claiming, "We gave 60 million for food for Gaza. No other country gave anything."
The truth, however, is grim:
Trump armed Israel with bombs used to kill civilians and supported the siege that starved Gaza.
He defunded UNRWA and USAID, critical relief organizations.
He openly proposed forced displacement (ethnic cleansing), aligning with Israel's current actions in Gaza.
Since May, Israel has killed over 1,000 Palestinians at food aid distribution sites in Gaza, where starving people gathered. Haaretz quoted an IDF soldier calling these sites "the killing field."
UNICEF reported that 80% of those who have starved to death in Gaza since the beginning of the war are children.
A retired U.S. Army Green Beret Lieutenant Colonel, Anthony Aguilar, who fought against ISIS and Al-Qaeda, stated on BBC that he "never witnessed the level of brutality and use of indiscriminate and unnecessary force against a civilian population, an unarmed, starving population" until he was in Gaza at the hands of the IDF and U.S. contractors. He described the operations as "criminal."
The horrifying reality is that both Israel and the United States bear responsibility for these potential war crimes. The U.S. provides Israel with $3 billion a year in tax money, along with extensive weaponry, diplomatic cover, and a "blank check." If either the U.S. Presidents (Biden or Trump) were to threaten to cut off aid and weapons, this brutal campaign would likely stop immediately. Yet, instead of condemning the atrocities, American politicians, including Democratic leaders like Chuck Schumer, Cory Booker, and Hakeem Jeffries, continue to take bipartisan photos with figures like Benjamin Netanyahu, seemingly endorsing the ongoing violence as the suffering continues. The sheer audacity of Trump to claim aid to Gaza while simultaneously defunding relief, arming Israel's siege, and even directing the Department of Agriculture to incinerate food meant for American children underscores his profound disconnect from reality and human empathy.
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