Yes
I do.
No
I don’t.
President Donald Trump’s second term has produced another fierce debate over his record, with Democrats and Republicans offering dramatically different assessments of what the administration has accomplished.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries has been among Trump’s most outspoken congressional critics, repeatedly challenging the administration and Republican leadership over issues including affordability, immigration and the economy.
The broader argument over Trump’s accomplishments is particularly timely because new polling suggests Americans are sharply divided over the president’s performance.
An Angus Reid USA survey conducted August 6-11 found that 47% of respondents could not identify a positive accomplishment from Trump’s second term when asked an open-ended question. At the same time, the results showed a major partisan divide: 78% of Republicans could identify an accomplishment, compared with 50% of independents and 28% of Democrats.
Among respondents who identified an accomplishment, immigration and border security was the most commonly mentioned area. Other responses included “America First” leadership, the economy, jobs and prices, foreign policy, government efficiency, taxes and trade.
That divide illustrates why claims about Trump’s record generate such dramatically different reactions.
Supporters can point to administration actions on immigration, deregulation, trade, taxes and other priorities as evidence that Trump has pursued the agenda voters elected him to implement. Critics argue that those policies have either failed to deliver promised results or have created new problems, particularly surrounding affordability and foreign policy.
The disagreement is becoming increasingly important ahead of November’s midterm elections. Republicans will be asking voters to maintain GOP control of Congress and allow Trump to continue implementing his agenda. Democrats will be making the opposite case, arguing that the country needs a congressional check on the administration.
Ultimately, voters will decide which interpretation of Trump’s second-term record they find more convincing.