Trump Under Pressure
In a recent episode of *Washington Week With The Atlantic*, panelists delved into the current state of Donald Trump’s presidency, highlighting a particularly challenging month for the former president. The discussion was prompted by Trump’s recent outbursts towards journalists, including an incident where he dismissively told one reporter to “Quiet, piggy.” This behavior, along with his confrontational remarks in the Oval Office, suggests a growing frustration as Trump grapples with the political fallout from recent elections. Toluse Olorunnipa, a staff writer at *The Atlantic*, pointed out that November has marked a significant turning point for Trump, who, just a year ago, was at the zenith of his political influence. The recent Democratic victories in key states like New York, New Jersey, and Virginia have signaled a shift in the political landscape, leading many to speculate about Trump’s waning power and the possibility of him becoming a “lame duck” president.
The panelists discussed how these electoral outcomes may have rattled Trump, with Jonathan Karl, chief Washington correspondent at ABC News, suggesting that even Republicans who have traditionally aligned themselves with Trump are beginning to distance themselves. This change in sentiment is particularly notable given the historical context of Trump’s presidency, where he faced little opposition from within his party. The conversation also touched on Trump’s decision to sign legislation for the release of government files related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, which adds another layer of complexity to his current standing. The panel, which included prominent figures such as Jeffrey Goldberg, Leigh Ann Caldwell, and Peter Baker, emphasized that the dynamics within the Republican Party are shifting as they begin to look beyond Trump, indicating a potential reconfiguration of political alliances as the 2024 election approaches.
As the political landscape evolves, the implications of these developments will likely resonate through the upcoming months, with Trump’s behavior and the reactions of his party providing a window into the challenges he faces. The full episode of *Washington Week With The Atlantic* offers a deeper exploration of these themes, making it a must-watch for those interested in the intricacies of contemporary American politics. For more insights and analysis, viewers can check their local PBS listings or watch the episode online.
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Earlier this week Donald Trump told a journalist “Quiet, piggy,” and later lashed out at another reporter in the Oval Office. On
Washington Week With The Atlantic
, panelists joined to discuss what could be behind the president’s comments, and more.
November has been “a really tough month for Trump,” Toluse Olorunnipa, a staff writer at
The Atlantic
, said last night. A year ago, Trump was “at the peak of his political power,” and his first 10 months in office “were pretty much signs that there was very little that” could be done to stop him. But then, Olorunnipa noted, “we had the elections in the first part of this month.”
Following major victories for Democrats in New York, New Jersey, and Virginia, Trump is beginning to realize “that he’s going to be a lame duck very soon,” Olorunnipa argued—and “people within his own party are starting to look past him.”
Meanwhile, Trump has signed legislation ordering the release of the government’s Jeffrey Epstein investigation files. “My sense is that he’s rattled,” Jonathan Karl, the chief Washington correspondent at ABC News, said last night. “Republicans who have been entirely supplicant to him” are “suddenly standing up and going in a different direction.”
Joining the editor in chief of
The Atlantic
, Jeffrey Goldberg, to discuss this and more: Leigh Ann Caldwell, the chief Washington correspondent at
Puck
; Peter Baker, the chief White House correspondent for
The New York Times
; Karl, the chief Washington correspondent at ABC News; and Olorunnipa, a staff writer at
The Atlantic
.
Watch the full episode
here
.
