【By Observer News, Wang Yi】 US President Trump is facing unprecedented criticism and setbacks from both inside and outside the Republican Party. According to a new survey released by Reuters on November 18, his approval rating has hit a new low since returning to the White House, with widespread dissatisfaction among American citizens regarding his handling of the cost of living and the archives of the late American businessman Jeffrey Epstein.

At the same time, some rare rebellions and resistance within the Republican Party against Trump have emerged. The "Politico" website reported on the 18th that Trump's iron-fisted control over the Republican Party seems to be weakening, and the unusual criticisms and obstacles he currently faces are largely coming from within his own party, indicating that "the Republican Party is beginning to think about the future after Trump."

A survey conducted by Reuters/Ipsos from the 14th to the 17th among 1017 adults showed that Trump's support rate dropped to 38%, the lowest level since he returned to the White House, with an error margin of about three percentage points. Compared to the same survey in early November, Trump's overall support rate has decreased by two percentage points.

Reuters said that Trump's support rate at the start of his second term reached 47%, and has since declined by nine percentage points, bringing his overall support rate close to the lowest level during his first term, which is similar to the lowest poll for former President Biden. Biden's lowest support rate was 35%, while Trump's lowest support rate during his first term was as low as 33%.

US presidential approval ratings from 2017 onwards, red for Trump, blue for Biden. Reuters chart

The survey found that "the burden of daily household expenses" has become a significant issue troubling the Trump administration, which was also a key factor that previously harmed Biden's administration and helped Trump defeat then-Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Harris in last year's election.

"Everything is about prices," said Republican strategist Doug Heye, "people go into the supermarket and see the checkout amount and get very angry, they can't believe it."

Only 26% of Americans think Trump is doing a good job in controlling the cost of living, a figure that has further dropped from 29% at the beginning of the month. Since Trump took office in January, the US inflation rate has remained high by historical standards. Although the job market has weakened, consumer prices in the US still rose by 3% in the 12 months ending in September. About 65% of respondents were dissatisfied with Trump's performance on the cost of living issue.

Since the start of his second term, Trump's most notable economic policy has been to raise tariffs on imported goods to boost American manufacturing, but many economists believe this has actually increased prices. Last week, Trump issued an order to lower tariffs on beef, tomatoes, coffee, and bananas, and the public generally believes this move was in response to voter pressure to reduce the price of everyday items.

Although the survey shows that voters still believe the Republican Party is better than the Democrats on economic policy, with the decline in support, the Republicans face greater risks in the upcoming congressional elections.

Reuters noted that although Trump's political career has faced numerous crises, he has long maintained solid support among Republican voters. However, according to the latest survey, his support among Republican voters has dropped from 87% in early November to 82%.

In terms of the Epstein case, Trump's performance is also unsatisfactory to Americans. The survey showed that only 20% of Americans approve of how Trump handled the case, and even among Republicans, only 44% of voters support him. Approximately 70% of respondents, including 87% of Democrats and 60% of Republicans, believe the Trump administration concealed information about Epstein's clients.

Several foreign media outlets noted that Trump's declining poll numbers coincide with signs of weakening control over the Republican Party. Independent strategist and former Republican Mike Ongstad analyzed that "what we are seeing may be the biggest challenge Trump has faced in controlling the Republican Party since becoming president."

"Politico" stated that as a long-time associate of the Epstein case, Trump has been pressuring Republican lawmakers in Congress to stop investigating these records all summer. Trump denied any wrongdoing and there is no evidence that he was involved in Epstein's criminal activities. However, what happened next may be the most sharp condemnation of his presidency from within the Republican Party.

On the 18th, the US House of Representatives, controlled by the Republicans, passed a bill almost unanimously requiring the Department of Justice to release documents related to the Epstein case, with only one vote against.

This incident also caused a rift between Trump and Marjorie Taylor Greene, a key figure in the "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) movement and a Republican congresswoman. Greene demanded the release of the Epstein case files, which Trump criticized as a "traitor," and he tried to get supporters to break away from her. Greene said on social media last week that Trump's "incitement and encouragement" put her life in danger.

Just on the 16th, Trump suddenly changed his stance and encouraged Republicans to support the bill, saying "we have nothing to hide." "Politico" believes his change was to "avoid an open humiliation that seemed inevitable." Now, the White House is promoting that Trump should be recognized for transparency and pushing for the release of the files.

Additionally, "Politico" also outlined a series of events showing the weakening influence of Trump within the party, such as Republican lawmakers in Indiana refusing Trump's request to redraw congressional districts, some Senate Republicans opposing Trump's attempt to abolish the "filibuster" procedural rule, and his proposed 50-year mortgage being strongly criticized by the MAGA camp...

The website said that the unusual criticisms and obstacles Trump currently faces, many from within his own party, reveal that the Republican Party is beginning to think about the future after Trump. This dynamic became more explicit after elections in states such as Virginia and New Jersey, where voters supported Democratic candidates, completely breaking the expectation of a tight race, indicating that even Trump cannot forever defy political gravity.

Over the following days, Trump continued to bring up old grudges, blaming Republican members, and taking sides in the increasingly fierce intra-party debates on anti-Semitism and bias.

Mike Madrid, former political director of the California Republican Party and a Trump opponent, told the U.S. "Wall Street Journal" that "the base of Trump is experiencing unprecedented cracks. This shows that even Donald Trump is not immune to the laws of politics, that a lame-duck leader will inevitably see people starting to leave him."

This article is an exclusive article of Observer News, and it is not allowed to be reprinted without permission.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7574383995006222890/

Statement: The article represents the views of the author. Please express your opinion by clicking on the 【top/down】 button below.