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Having made rookie mistakes, Trump must be thinking to change his tack on policies. Just two months old, Trump presidency is in disarray. Trump’s first policy setback came after his executive order banning travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries was blocked by US courts. Even the revamped travel ban failed to convince US judges that it was not a Muslim ban.
Trump suffered another stinging blow as he was forced to sack his national security advisor Michael Flynn for lying about his contacts with Russian envoy. Russian hacking scandal continues to be a thorn in Trump side. A bombshell came when the FBI director confirmed that Trump’s campaign is being investigated for possible coordination with Russia during the election, an investigation that could hang over the White House for years.
Now, Trump suffered another setback over health care bill. House Republicans abandoned a White House-backed bill, thwarting Trump’s attempt to advance legislation to replace the Affordable Care Act.
The president’s advisers had hoped the health care measure would give the White House a much-needed burst of momentum and prove to wary Republicans that it was worth sticking with Trump in order to accomplish something the party had sought for seven years.
Trump embraced the plan put forth by House Speaker Paul Ryan and promised Republican leaders he would invest his own political capital into rounding up votes. But Ryan’s decision to pull the bill underscored Trump’s limitations. His much hyped deal-making prowess couldn’t overcome the ideological concerns of conservatives.
The health care bill’s collapse was a stunning rejection of a new president by his own party. So far, most of Trump’s policy has been bedevilled by their very nature of being divisive and ill-conceived. The collapse of the bill smothered the GOP effort. And it signals a wide schism within the GOP. What makes it more grave is the fact that bill meets its demise in the Republican-controlled House. With each setback and sidetrack, comes more concern about whether Trump, a political novice, is capable of governing.
Trump presidency is mired in self-inflicted controversies. The ambitious agenda Trump embarked on has now been blocked by both Congress and the courts. Whole weeks of Trump presidency have been consumed by his explosive and unverified claim, including wire-tapping of his New York skyscraper.
A recent Gallup poll indicates that 54% of Americans disapprove Trump’s performance as a president. Trump, who took office with historically low favorability ratings, has continued to lose support since his inauguration.
But the new president’s advisors counter the notion of a White House crisis with Trump’s unconventional style and little regard for Washington convention. The Republican billionaire seems to have failed to understand how the separation of powers works. Much of the chaos could have been avoidable. The present tumult undercuts Trump’s campaign promises to bring business efficiency to Washington. But Trump’s credibility is on the wane outside the Oval Office. And there is growing worry among Republicans that the Trump administration will eventually implode. And if it happens, Trump tweets will be held accountable.