White House correspondent Anushka Asthana reports a perceptible sea change at the White House as President Donald Trump's fortunes deteriorate under pressure from the Iran war crisis.
More journalists crowd briefing rooms daily, anticipating unpredictable chaos.
The contrast to six weeks ago is stark, Asthana wrote for The i Paper. Trump's State of the Union focused on falling gas prices, but now the news is mainly dominated by the Iran war.
An Ipsos poll shows 66 percent of Americans want U.S. involvement ended quickly, versus 27 percent supporting continued escalation.
Asthana documents Trump's visibly deteriorating mental state, noting he's become "more erratic in recent weeks," with frustration bubbling up, causing increasingly intense and frequent attacks.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt shows visible strain as well, defending Trump's positions, Asthana wrote.
Asthana observes Trump carelessly attacking longstanding allies, while his apocalyptic rhetoric suggests a president unable to find an exit from his self-created mess.
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