A proposed strongman image of Donald Trump is now affecting his presidency negatively, a political analyst has claimed.
Where the president may want to present himself as a man with tough stances on domestic and international policy, CNN's Stephen Collinson believes this image is what weakens the administration. Part of the problem is not just the image, but how Trump responds to world events, according to the analyst.
Collinson wrote, "Lately Trump seems to be winging it more than usual. And he’s getting more extreme. His brittle temper in Washington — a contrast to his sunnier mood at weekends at home in Florida — is increasingly threatening.
"How far he goes in his quest for dominance may depend on the tension between his strongman outbursts and domestic and international political realities that occasionally rein him in."
Collinson suggested there were topics the president could focus on with a clarity lacking elsewhere, but that these moments are few and far between.
He wrote, "Now and again, Trump acts in a conventional, strategic manner — for instance with his unveiling last week of a TrumpRx website designed to lower drug prices — although the plan is far more restrictive than he often claims.
"But the impression of a president concentrating on his own, often erratic goals while being indifferent to the plight of ordinary voters is growing. He told NBC News in a Super Bowl interview aired Sunday, for example, that he was 'very proud' of the economy, making a misleading case that he’d lowered grocery prices across the board.
"While the stock market has been in robust health — the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above 50,000 last week for the first time — the Trump economy has yet to deliver its benefits to all income levels. The political cost of this impulsive self-obsession is becoming clear."
A refusal to apologize for a racist video shared to his Truth Social account has since been criticized by Collinson, who says the lack of apology sets a dangerous precedent.
He wrote, "Trump’s refusal to apologize for the racist video that was posted on his Truth Social site underscores how his history of outlandish conduct has insulated him against the consequences of his actions.
"A CEO who posted such material could expect to lose their job. But the White House initially blamed the backlash not on the offensive content but on those who were offended.
"But Republican anger over the post, including condemnation from the only Black GOP Senator Tim Scott, quickly eroded the political foundation of that position. The content was deleted and a staffer was blamed for posting it. Trump insisted he’d not seen the part that was offensive. But he refused to apologize, saying that he’d done nothing wrong."
