Trump Backtracks: Conservative Writer Celebrates President's 'Retreat'

Conservative commentator Bill Kristol has publicly expressed satisfaction with what he views as a series of recent retreats by President Donald Trump on key economic promises. In a piece for The Bulwark, Kristol characterized Trump’s shifting stances on issues like Chinese tariffs and potential removal of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell as a welcome development, despite acknowledging the likely temporary nature of this shift.

Kristol notably echoed a viral insult originating on Chinese social media – “Trump chickened out” – to describe the president’s dealings with Chinese President Xi Jinping. However, he cautioned against overinterpreting these policy reversals, asserting that Trump’s underlying commitment to authoritarian tendencies, both domestically and in foreign policy, remains unchanged. “Whatever tactical U-turns he pulls off, the fundamental danger of Trump and Trumpism remains,” Kristol wrote.

The commentator argues that these flip-flops are politically damaging to the president, pointing to a recent Reuters-Ipsos poll indicating a five-percentage-point drop in Trump’s approval rating since his inauguration, now at 42 percent. Kristol suggests this creates an opportunity for the opposition to simultaneously mitigate potential harm and further erode Trump’s public support.

He urges Democrats to capitalize on what he perceives as a moment of weakness, delivering a firm message that frames Trump as both a dangerous autocrat and a coward when confronted. Kristol quoted former President Bill Clinton’s 2002 observation that voters often prefer a “strong and wrong” leader over a “weak and right” one, questioning whether the public is now beginning to view Trump as both incorrect and lacking strength.

While Kristol’s analysis focuses heavily on the political implications of Trump’s shifting positions, it’s a valid point that policy inconsistency can undermine a leader’s credibility and open them up to criticism. However, framing the situation solely as a matter of Trump’s personal weakness risks overlooking the complex geopolitical and economic factors influencing his decisions. It’s also worth noting that while a decline in approval ratings is significant, it doesn’t necessarily guarantee long-term political consequences. The ability of Trump and his supporters to rally a base remains a powerful force, and dismissing that would be a mistake.