America Gives Trump the Middle Finger

The Verdict: Trump’s a Total Disaster

Hey there, Substack fam! Buckle up for a wild ride through the dumpster fire that is American politics in 2025. Spoiler alert: the latest Quinnipiac poll is basically a giant middle finger to Donald Trump and his merry band of misfits.

Let’s break this down with all the snark and sarcasm you’ve come to expect from me, because if we don’t laugh, we might just cry.

Trump’s Approval Ratings: A Dumpster Dive

First off, let’s talk about Trump’s approval rating. A measly 38% of registered voters think he’s doing a swell job as president, while a whopping 54% are ready to chase him out of the White House.

That’s right, folks, more than half of America is giving Trump the stink eye. And honestly, can you blame them? With policies that make even the most die-hard MAGA hat-wearer squirm, it’s no surprise the man’s numbers are tanking faster than a lead balloon.

The Cabinet of Calamities

Trump’s appointees aren’t exactly winning any popularity contests either. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.? Only 38% approve, while 53% are probably wondering if he’s secretly anti-vaxxing the entire country.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth? A pitiful 37% approval, with 46% disapproval—guess his war hawk vibes aren’t vibing.

And let’s not forget billionaire Elon Musk, whose work got a measly 38% approval, with 57% calling it “not so good” or straight-up “poor.” Ouch, Elon, maybe stick to tweeting memes?

Policy Disasters: A Laundry List of Nope

Trump’s handling of pretty much everything is getting a big fat “F” from voters.

Immigration? 43% approve, 54% disapprove. Deportations? 40% to 56% disapproval—guess the “build that wall” chant isn’t resonating anymore.

The economy? Same deal, 40% approval to 56% disapproval.

Trade, universities, the Israel-Hamas conflict, the Russia-Ukraine war—pick any issue, and more than half of voters are shaking their heads so hard they’re risking whiplash.

The “Big, Beautiful Betrayal” Bill

And then there’s the budget reconciliation bill, which Republicans have the audacity to call “One Big, Beautiful Bill.” Democrats, with a rare moment of wit, dubbed it the “Big, Beautiful Betrayal.”

Voters agree with the latter, opposing it 53% to 27%. Why? Oh, just the tiny detail of slashing $800 billion from Medicaid over the next decade.

Only 10% of voters think federal funding for Medicaid should decrease, so naturally, Trump’s crew thought, “Let’s gut it!” Genius.

Trade Wars: Trump’s Economic Self-Own

Speaking of genius, let’s chat about Trump’s trade wars. The World Bank and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development are sounding the alarm, predicting U.S. economic growth will be cut in half in 2025—down from 2.8% in 2024 to a sad little 1.4%.

Globally, growth drops from 2.8% to 2.3%. Trump promised 90 tariff deals in 90 days, but his desperation for a China deal is peak comedy.

After China retaliated by choking off rare earth mineral exports (you know, the stuff we need for cars, phones, and missiles), Ford had to shutter a Chicago factory.

Trump’s economic advisor Kevin Hassett basically begged for the good old days before Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs. Sad!

Trump’s recent Truth Social post screaming “OUR DEAL WITH CHINA IS DONE” is, surprise, not quite true.

China called it a “framework,” and it’s just a rehash of a May deal with a six-month rare earth lifeline.

Economist Justin Wolfers summed it up best: this isn’t a deal; it’s a handshake to agree and to keep agreeing on a non-agreement. We’re not even back to square one; we’re in the negative numbers.

Military Partisanship: Trump’s Handpicked Fan Club

Over on the military front, Trump’s been playing fast and loose with tradition. At Fort Bragg, he gave a partisan speech to a handpicked crowd of Trump-supporting soldiers—oh, and a memo specifically said “no fat soldiers.” Classy.

The troops laughed and applauded his media-bashing diatribe, while an Oklahoma retailer sold pro-Trump merch at the event, breaking military policy.

A Fort Bragg commander called it “shameful,” and former Marine Ron Filipkowski slammed the silence of Senate and House Armed Services Committee chairs as a “betrayal.”

Meanwhile, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell deflected by calling media questions a “disgrace.” Stay classy, Sean.

Scientists Strike Back: The Bethesda Declaration

Scientists at the NIH aren’t taking Trump’s nonsense lying down either. Over 90 signed (and 250 anonymously supported) the Bethesda Declaration, a scathing letter to HHS Secretary RFK Jr. and NIH leader Jay Bhattacharya.

Modeled after Bhattacharya’s own Great Barrington Declaration (which basically said “let COVID rip”), this new declaration slams the administration for undermining NIH’s mission, wasting resources, and politicizing research.

Some signers stayed anonymous out of fear of retaliation. Welcome to 2025, where scientists live in a “culture of fear.” Yikes.

Voters and Politicians Are Done with the Circus

Voters in Florida, Massachusetts, and Oklahoma just handed Democrats wins in five out of six special elections, overperforming their 2024 numbers.

Meanwhile, only 7 out of 50 surveyed Republican Congress members plan to attend Trump’s $40 million military parade on June 14 for the Army’s 250th anniversary. Even the chairs of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees are skipping it.

Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) called the parade a waste, comparing it to Soviet and North Korean propaganda. Then, in a move pettier than a toddler’s tantrum, the White House uninvited Paul and his family from the annual congressional picnic. “Incredibly petty,” Paul said. No kidding.

Final Thoughts: America’s Had Enough

So, there you have it, folks. America is collectively flipping Trump the bird, and honestly, it’s about time. From tanking approval ratings to disastrous policies, from military partisanship to economic self-sabotage, this administration is a hot mess express.

Will they turn it around? Doubtful. But hey, at least we’ve got front-row seats to the chaos. Grab your popcorn and stay tuned for the next episode of “As the White House Burns.”

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Keep pushing back,

Samuel