Trump 'unraveling' as he grasps that single issue is 'destroying' presidency: analyst
President Donald Trump speaks during the ASEAN-U.S. Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Oct. 26, 2025. Vincent Thian/Pool via REUTERS
November 21, 2025
A key issue is "destroying" Donald Trump's administration — and "he's unraveling" the longer it goes on, a political commentator wrote Friday.
Alex Shephard of The New Republic suggested the president's past "month of humiliations and stinging defeats" has been disastrous for the administration, and that a failure on one key issue is affecting him most of all. Shephard wrote, "High costs destroyed Biden’s presidency, and they’re destroying Trump’s now too.
"He seems to understand this, because he’s unraveling. His public statements have become increasingly volatile and erratic." Trump has been taken to task by Democrats and Republicans on his response to the cost-of-living crisis.
He continued, "By cutting tariffs on coffee, beef, and other consumer goods, Trump is trying to alleviate inflation that he has made significantly worse by embracing a harebrained and antiquated economic scheme."
Trump had promised to get a better grip on the economy during his re-election campaign, but credit specialist Jenique Jones, who voted for Trump, feels as though the country is worse off under policies the Trump administration has introduced.CNN's John King asked, "We changed presidents at the beginning of the year, and the guy who moved into the White House said that he was going to fix it. Has he fixed it?”
Jones replied, "Absolutely not. I’m definitely waiting for him to fix it. I’m very let down by that because I feel like it’s only gotten worse. Pretty much just a whole bunch of financial mess." Jones also said that her business as a credit specialist being busy is "absolutely" a sign the cost-of-living crisis is getting worse.
Speaking to MS NOW, the insider said, "I predicted this. The president needs to focus on domestic issues versus his foreign policy legacy."
Vice President JD Vance suggested the government will be "judged" on its economic successes as early as next year. Vance stated the party needs to "focus on the home front" and fix domestic issues like the cost-of-living crisis urgently.
He said, "We need to focus on the home front. The president has done a lot that has already paid off in lower interest rates and lower inflation, but we inherited a disaster from Joe Biden and Rome wasn’t built in a day.