Clear evidence shows Trump is in steep decline — but we should still fear worse to come

I’ve always been a cup-half-full kind of guy, even when the cup is a tenth full.

So I’m delighted that federal troops are leaving Minneapolis. Also that communities across America are mobilizing to block ICE warehouses. And that Democrats have temporarily stopped the funding of the Department of Homeland Insecurity.

I’m pleased that the Supreme Court has struck down Trump’s tariffs.

And that some Republicans in Congress have stopped doing whatever Trump tells them to do.

And I couldn’t be happier that Trump’s approval rating continues to plummet. More voters now disapprove than approve of his job performance in allof the seven swing states he won in 2024!

So, I’d like to believe the worst is over. I wish I could tell you (and myself) to relax.

But I have to be honest with you: I fear worse is to come.

Why? Because ICE is recruiting like mad in a massive $100 million effort targeting military and gun enthusiasts, NASCAR attendees, and users of tactical gear, while utilizing “wartime” rhetoric and neo-Nazi imagery in its advertisements.

Because Trump’s billionaire backers and sicko sycophants know they have only 11 months to do their worst before Democrats might take control of at least one chamber of Congress and stop them.

Because Trump also knows this and will do whatever he can do to intimidate Democratic voters in the midterms, fiddle with ballots, change results, or prevent certifications to avoid a Democratic takeover. He has already demonstrated he has no compunction about trying to destroy electoral processes to get his way.

There is also the U.S. armada now stationed in the Middle East. Although Trump lacks congressional authorization to go to war, he told reporters on Friday that he was considering a “limited” military strike to pressure Iran into a deal.

But mostly I fear worse to come because time and again — especially when he feels like he’s losing — Trump doubles down on stupid. (He just announced, for example, that in light of the Supreme Court’s tariff decision, he’s imposing a 15 percent tariff on every country we trade with around the world.)

And his toadies — Pam Bondi, Pete Hegseth, Kristi Noem, Stephen Miller, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — double down on their cruel mindlessness, if only to demonstrate to Trump their kindred stupidity.

ICE has left downtown Minneapolis but has reportedly increased its activities in the suburbs of the Twin Cities. “As far as Homan’s announcement of a drawdown, there’s no difference,” said Alex Falconer, a Democratic state representative for Minnetonka and Eden Prairie. “In fact, it’s become a little worse.”

Due to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s anti-vax campaign, the U.S. is experiencing a surge in measles. South Carolina is the epicenter of the outbreak, with over 960 confirmed cases, and the virus continues to spread, with 26 states reporting new cases this year. Last year, two children in the U.S. died from measles. Both were unvaccinated.

The United States continues to strike small fishing boats in waters around Central America, alleging without proof they are smuggling drugs into the United States. Three people were killed Friday in the eastern Pacific.

Trump continues to use racist memes, as he did two weeks ago when posting an AI-generated depiction of former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama as apes.

The corruption, too, is worsening.

This means you and I and all sane Americans cannot relax our vigilance. In fact, we must mount an even more powerful resistance to this ongoing calamity.

We are in a de facto war for freedom and democracy, and Trump and his regime have shown themselves to be a bunch of gangsters — racists, misogynists, nativists, traitors, and murderers.

As Abraham Lincoln said in his Second Inaugural: “The fiery trial through which we pass will light us down in honor or dishonor to the latest generation … We shall nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope of earth.”

Be well. Be safe. Hug your loved ones.

• Robert Reich is an emeritus professor of public policy at Berkeley and former secretary of labor. His writings can be found at https://robertreich.substack.com/. His new memoir, Coming Up Short, can be found wherever you buy books. You can also support local bookstores nationally by ordering the book at bookshop.org