President Donald Trump's abrupt walkout on "Meet the Press" over the weekend shows his second term is "already finished," an analyst revealed on Monday.
Following his mid-interview exit from NBC's Kristen Welker, Trump appears to have given up amid mounting frustration, according to MS NOW political analyst Matthew Bartlett. And while he maintains his control over the Republican Party, he has lost his standing among voters who question his economic priorities and policies.
"In the year and a half since Trump’s return, it seems everything has changed — except the economy," Bartlett wrote. "It is very hard to say that the president’s second act has improved the lives or financial status of many, unless of course your last name is Trump. His second administration has been a historic misread of a political mandate, and a tragic mistake of a presidency."
Trump has lost touch with what voters are concerned about, Bartlett argued.
"The president has lost all credibility on the economy, the No. 1 priority of the American public," Bartlett wrote. "He has lost control over ending the war. The administration is rudderless. Trump is enamored with being president, yet wants nothing to do with the job. His Cabinet members turn their attention from serving the people to appeasing their boss. Many top officials now hold their jobs in an acting capacity — not just in title but in their emphasis on performance for an audience of one."
The political focus will now shift to the 2026 midterm elections and then the 2028 presidential election.
"In a matter of months, attention will soon move from the White House to the campaign trail, and even successful presidents struggle to keep the spotlight off their potential successors," Bartlett wrote. "Candidates from both parties will have a chance to define themselves and offer their ideas on everything from artificial intelligence to taxes to war and peace. America’s next act will be written not in the Oval Office or the halls of Congress, but in the town halls and events across America."
"Meanwhile, the second Trump administration is already a lost cause at home and abroad. He has made himself a lame duck president, and is getting lamer every day," Bartlett added.