Trump’s Political Standing Slides as Jobs Shrink, Gas Prices Jump, Immigration Furor Escalates, and Iran Fallout Mounts

Overview

• The latest jobs report showed a loss of 92,000 positions, reinforcing a stagnant labor market that has dented confidence in the president’s economic stewardship.
• Fuel costs spiked by more than 11 percent in a week tied to the Iran conflict, and Wall Street analysts cautioned that surging oil could raise stagflation risks.
• President Trump removed DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, drawing fresh attention to aggressive enforcement tactics that analysts say have driven down his immigration approval ratings.
• The New York Times reported an elementary school in southern Iran was bombed during U.S. strikes, and Reuters said military investigators now believe U.S. forces likely hit the school, a finding still under review.
• Polling summarized by G. Elliott Morris shows only 38 percent approve of the Iran campaign and a CNN survey found 59 percent don’t trust Trump on Iran decisions, while GOP strategists urge avoiding a prolonged war and shifting to local messaging before the midterms.