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How Trump Is Bringing Europe Together Again

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New York Times: “The European Union was in bad shape at the start of the first Trump administration. Public trust in the bloc was at a historic low, Britain had just voted to leave, and the European economy was struggling to recover from the global financial crisis, which had set off a series of debt-related meltdowns across the continent.”

“But things slowly started to improve from around 2016. In recent months, sentiment around the European Union has picked up further. Trust ratings are approaching a two-decade high. E.U. leaders are striking trade deals with fast-growing economies like Indonesia, standing up a defense plan that has garnered partnerships with nations including Canada, and even Britain recently struck a deal to reset relations.”

CNBC: U.S. plays hardball on tariffs deadline as EU battles for a deal.

Bloomberg: EU to prepare retaliation plan.

The U.S. Economy Is Regaining Its Swagger

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“When President Trump slapped tariffs on nations across the globe this spring, many economists feared higher prices and spending cuts would flatten the economy,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“Consumer sentiment collapsed. The S&P 500 stock index fell by 19% between February and April. The world held its breath and waited for the bottom to drop out.”

“But that didn’t happen. Now businesses and consumers are regaining their swagger, and evidence is mounting that those who held back are starting to splurge again.”

Axios: Wall Street likes the economy more than voters.


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Japan Election Throws a Wrench in Trade Talks

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“Japan’s ruling coalition suffered a significant loss in a parliamentary election Sunday, a setback that risks derailing delicate trade negotiations with the U.S. just weeks before punishing tariffs are set to take effect,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba had gambled that his tough stance on trade with President Trump would help cement his shaky grip on power after less than a year in the job and an electoral snub last fall.”

Trump Administration and Harvard Face Crucial Court Test

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“The Trump administration and Harvard University will appear before a federal judge on Monday as each party seeks outright victory in their clash over billions of dollars in research money that the government has taken from the school,” the New York Times reports.

“The hearing is likely to be a milestone in a lawsuit that partly hinges on what the government’s role in higher education should be.”

Washington Post: Trump vs. Harvard: A timeline of how the fight escalated.

Trump Threatens to Derail New Stadium Over Team Name

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“President Trump is threatening to derail a plan to build a new stadium in Washington, D.C., for the Washington Commanders football team unless the team changes its name back to the previous name,” NPR reports.

Said Trump: “The Washington ‘Whatever’s’ should immediately change their name back to the Washington Redskins Football Team. There is a big clamoring for this.”

New York Times: “In his posts, Mr. Trump also urged the Cleveland Guardians baseball team, which changed its name from the Cleveland Indians in 2021, to follow suit.”

Europe Prepares for a U.S. Trade Fight

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“The European Union thought it was on the verge of a deal with the U.S. to keep tariffs in check. Now it is readying a counterattack,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“U.S. officials told the EU’s trade chief this past week that they expect President Trump to demand further concessions from the bloc to get an agreement, including a baseline tariff on most European goods that could be in the range of 15% or higher.”

“That was an unwelcome surprise for the EU, which had been working toward an agreement that would have kept baseline tariffs at 10%, already a tough concession for some of its 27 countries. The shift prompted Germany, Europe’s biggest economy and its largest exporter, which had previously been more dovish on U.S. retaliation, to swing closer to France’s more confrontational position.”

Epstein Accuser Twice Told FBI About His Ties to Trump

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“Maria Farmer twice reported Donald Trump‘s connection with sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein to the FBI, shining light on how the president may be mentioned in the Epstein files held by the Justice Department,” Rolling Stone reports.

“Farmer, who worked for Epstein and recently spoke to The New York Times, first went to law enforcement in 1996 to tell them that Epstein and his longtime partner, Ghislaine Maxwell, sexually assaulted her.”

Trump Celebrates Six Months In

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President Trump writes on Truth Social that this has been “one of the most consequential periods of any President.”

He adds: “In other words, we got a lot of good and great things done, including ending numerous wars… Six months is not a long time to have totally revived a major Country.”

Playbook: “If you survey the headlines this morning, you’ll see precious few of the six-months-in prewrites that assignment editors like to tee up. Instead, the space is filled with stories about Epstein and Trump.”

Washington Post: “If it continues to grab public attention, it could pose a more significant threat at a time when Trump’s standing with the public already has been on the decline, though polling shows him steady with his own party.”

More Americans Worry About Inflation

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A new poll from CBS News/YouGov finds 42 percent of Americans approve of Trump’s job performance, while 58 percent disapprove.

Playbook: “One big number to watch: 64 percent disapprove of his handling of inflation — up 10 points from March — and with more tariffs due to kick in a few weeks from now, that number may well rise as prices go up.”

Democrats Plot Their Own Redistricting

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“House Democrats are actively preparing for political trench warfare against the GOP in next year’s midterm battle, with talks taking shape behind the scenes to mount a counterattack against President Donald Trump’s power play in Texas that aims to cement GOP control of Washington for the rest of his second term,” CNN reports.

“House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and his political team have begun privately shaping a legally risky — and likely expensive — strategy to redraw House maps in several Democratic-controlled states, according to Democrats briefed on the effort. They are exploring their plans in California, New York, New Jersey, Minnesota and Washington state in hopes of flipping at least a handful of Republican seats next November.”

Trump Loses Ground on the Economy and Immigration

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Dan Balz: “President Donald Trump spent much of last week trying to fend off a revolt in his base over the Jeffrey Epstein case, but he has more than just problems within his own MAGA followers. He has lost ground with the broader public on issues that once were among his strongest attributes.”

“A year ago, voters saw Trump as a better steward of the economy than Vice President Kamala Harris. His tough talk on immigration appealed to many voters who saw the southern border as out of control and who blamed the Biden administration for the huge influx of undocumented migrants. Now he’s getting negative reviews on both.”

GOP Push Behind Trump Has Congress in an Uproar

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“Republicans’ relentless marathon to force President Trump’s agenda through Congress over objections from Democrats and some in their own ranks is taking a toll on the institution and its members, prompting tempers to boil over and relationships to fray on Capitol Hill, with potentially disastrous consequences ahead,” the New York Times reports.

“In recent days, lawmakers clashed bitterly over federal spending, presidential nominees and even broadly supported cryptocurrency bills — all while a dispute raged over releasing files in the case of the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. The normally staid proceedings of Congress were punctuated with shouting matches, a committee walkout, charges of abandoned deals and Democratic demands to fire the director of the Office of Management and Budget.”

Jeffrey Epstein Story Poses New Test for Trump

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“Nearly two weeks after President Donald Trump and his administration announced they had nothing more to say about Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal case, the topic continues to dog him, presenting a potential new political liability at the six-month mark of his presidency as Trump tries to sell more Americans on his accomplishments,” the Washington Post reports.

“At minimum, it has been a distraction at a time when Trump wants to tout his legislative victories. If it continues to grab public attention, it could pose a more significant threat at a time when Trump’s standing with the public already has been on the decline, though polling shows him steady with his own party.”

Politico: Trump acknowledges release of Epstein grand jury records may not please everyone.

About Political Wire

goddard-bw-snapshotTaegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.

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