New York Times: “On one hand, his approval rating hasn’t gone up: There certainly isn’t the usual ‘rally around the flag’ effect that has benefited other presidents in the opening stages of military conflicts. Instead, Mr. Trump’s approval rating has fallen to 40 percent, according to our average. That’s a weak number under any circumstance, but it’s especially poor during what might ordinarily be a galvanizing moment for the country.”
“On the other hand, his ratings haven’t collapsed. They’ve fallen only by a percentage point or two, and some may be wondering why he hasn’t taken a bigger hit. After all, the military campaign goes against Mr. Trump’s ‘no new wars’ promise, and it has divided some MAGA conservatives. For good measure, the polls show that a majority of the public opposes the war.”
“From that perspective, the war might look like the latest example of Mr. Trump’s political resiliency. He’s largely unscathed — again. But if you think he’s insulated from any political consequence from the war, that would be going too far. There are enormous downside risks to his presidency if the war goes on.”
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