Washington — The White House spent much of the week on the defensive as Donald Trump’s approval rating slipped in national polling averages and a string of contentious press briefings intensified questions about the administration’s tone, governing style, and relationship with democratic norms.
According to the RealClearPolitics average, the president’s approval has fallen by roughly four points over the past week—an abrupt shift that places him on more precarious footing as the political environment grows increasingly volatile. The slide reflects pressure from multiple directions: Democrats and civil-rights advocates, to be sure, but also conservative commentators and right-leaning podcasters who had previously offered reliable support.
Much of the backlash has centered on three fronts: immigration enforcement tactics, renewed controversy around documents linked to Jeffrey Epstein, and the president’s increasingly casual public rhetoric about elections and executive power.
The tension crystallized during a White House briefing led by Karoline Leavitt, which went viral after a sharp exchange over the killing of Renee Nicole Good during an immigration operation. When a reporter suggested an ICE agent had acted recklessly, Leavitt rejected the premise outright, accusing the questioner of bias and challenging his legitimacy as a journalist.