President Trump is set to deliver a primetime address to the American people at 9 p.m. tonight. And while he hasn’t specified the reason, he has teased “big news.”
I mean, there are plenty of topics it could be: The Iran war, his push for a voter ID law before the midterms, the economy, the recent ICE shootings, etc.
Recent polling has not been kind to the president: A new Economist/YouGov poll shows 65 percent of Americans wanting an immediate deal to end the war with Iran. Plus, 57 percent said the war was a mistake.
And just 37 percent of voters approve of Trump’s job performance so far, according to a new Washington Post-Ipsos poll.
Overall, Trump’s approval rating hovers around 41 percent, according to Decision Desk HQ’s average of recent polling. Trump touted a 59 percent approval rating this week, but it’s unclear what data he was referring to.
Other issues plaguing his administration right now:
ICE officers killed two people in six days, renewing criticism of the agency’s practices.
A federal judge accused the Justice Department of colluding with the Trump administration with the “anti-weaponization fund” settlement that permanently bars the IRS from investigating Trump’s past tax returns.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche faced tough questioning on Wednesday during his confirmation hearing.
Read Niall Stanage’s preview for tonight: ‘Troubles crowd in on Trump as he prepares for address’
Republicans are pretty nervous: Politico reports that many Republicans are nervous about this primetime address.
Excerpt: “The people I talk to are scared s---less,” a former Trump administration official told Politico. “It’s not scared s---less about the text of what he’s going to say, it’s, what does he add to the text?”
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ALSO HAPPENING TODAY — WELCOME BACK, KAROLINE!:
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is holding her first press briefing since returning from maternity leave. 💻 Watch it live at 1 p.m.
TRUMP’S NEXT CONSTRUCTION PROJECT:
The president is building a black granite helipad on the White House South Lawn, but as The New York Times pointed out, he has not sought any approvals for the project.
Construction started shortly after the White House UFC fight. It will be 100 feet in diameter and feature a presidential seal. Read more
Oh, and speaking of construction projects: The peeling of the new “American flag blue” paint in the Reflecting Pool is likely caused by application flaws during installation, according to a new Washington Post analysis.