A Hard Week for Trump

Tension within his majority, inability to advance reforms, internal conflict. The climate in Washington is adverse, to say the least.

“Taking a nap means risking missing at least 3 of Trump’s major scandals.” This tweet alone, published last week by an exasperated American journalist, captures the climate of adversity reigning in Washington.

In just one week, Donald Trump has endured one of the worst series of events since his inauguration in January. Once again, his proposal to repeal former President Obama’s health care law was rejected by Congress. He found himself forced by the Senate to approve sanctions against Russia – something he greatly opposed – provoking retaliatory measures in Moscow. Not to mention, he suffered new torment at the hands of North Korea, which fired a second ballistic missile confirming its ability to hit the “whole US mainland.”

Yet, just six months after his inauguration, it’s the internal conflict within Trump’s own administration which has really brought to light the extent of the chaos at the White House. Alarmed by the rise in resignations and internal rivalry, in late July, Trump gave full authority to White House Director of Communications Anthony Scaramucci, an Italian-American former banker and self-proclaimed “maverick” who promised “spectacular results.” Trump went on to replace iconic Republican Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, tasking Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly with the responsibility of bringing his administration to heel. These were two decisions which, far from appeasing tensions, provoked considerable media outpour. These repeated failures only serve to further the question mark over Trump’s ability to follow through on promises made during his campaign, starting with his ambitious claim to promote fiscal expansion. A keystone in his recovery plan, this has already run into major delays, and there seems to be no hint of compromise between the Senate and the White House on the matter.

Aggravating the Situation

Above all, defiance reigns supreme between the U.S. president and his majority. Trump’s numerous errors have aggravated the situation – according to some, a result of his political inexperience. He tactlessly attempted to pressure Senate Republicans to repeal “Obamacare” after being called to order by senators angered by his assault on Attorney General Jeff Sessions. On Saturday, he simply referred to fellow Republicans as “fools,” accused them of “wasting time,” and threatened to cut state insurance payments unless Congress took action.

According to former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele, “The White House is looking to create, ultimately, a separation. It wants to be independent of the party, because it sees the party as an anchor to its agenda and not a balloon,” he said.