Donald Trump’s political standing is under mounting pressure as Republicans in Congress rebel against his Iran policy, his approval rating sinks to a new low, and even his domestic projects face ridicule. On Friday, the House of Representatives voted to limit the president’s war powers in Iran, a rare rebuke that follows weeks of faltering ceasefire talks and airstrikes that killed the family of Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. The vote, reported by Negocios and Digi24, marks the first time a Republican-controlled chamber has directly constrained Trump’s military agenda since he returned to the White House.
Trump, who insists the United States will prevail in Iran “either militarily or on paper,” has simultaneously dangled the prospect of a historic meeting with Khamenei if a deal materialises. “We’re getting along quite well,” he told reporters on Thursday, while also asserting that Washington does not need Tehran’s consent to secure enriched uranium supplies Reuters. Yet the ceasefire extension he seeks is now in doubt after the House vote, which passed with bipartisan support and threatens to derail his preferred timeline for de-escalation.
The president’s domestic agenda is equally embattled. His approval rating has slumped to -25 in the latest *Economist*/YouGov survey, the lowest since his return to office, with voters citing the Iran conflict and economic anxiety as primary concerns ahead of November’s midterms The Independent. Meanwhile, his proposal for a “Trump Promenade” linking the Lincoln Memorial to the Potomac River—complete with a flag-blue reflecting pool—has drawn mockery, including from Bruce Springsteen, whose recent concerts in Washington drew crowds reportedly disillusioned by the president’s tenure Helsingin Sanomat.
Even within his own party, resistance is growing. The *Frankfurter Allgemeine* reports that Republicans are “testing their strength” against Trump’s Iran policy, while *Politico* notes that the White House is quietly reviewing tariffs imposed earlier this year amid pressure from business lobbies FAZ Digi24. Abroad, thousands protested in Tirana against a Kushner-linked development on Albania’s coast, underscoring the global backlash to Trump-branded ventures Reuters.
With his aura of invincibility fading, Trump faces a summer of legislative gridlock, diplomatic setbacks, and public disenchantment—raising questions about whether his second term will be defined by legacy projects or lasting damage to American institutions.