Trump Faces Dilemma: Abandon Promises or Let Them Destroy His Administration?

As Donald Trump prepares to start a second term, he faces a new dilemma that could shape the future of his presidency, according to former conservative turned anti-Trump columnist Jennifer Rubin. Writing for The Washington Post, Rubin argues that Trump must choose between abandoning his controversial promises or risking them undermining his fledgling administration.

Rubin outlined several policies Trump could enact, such as imposing harsh tariffs, initiating massive deportations of law-abiding “dreamers,” repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and cutting taxes for corporations and the wealthy. While these actions might please his radical supporters, Rubin warns that they would make him “extremely unpopular” and create chaos both socially and economically. Additionally, she notes that they could cause significant political damage for the Republican Party in the 2026 midterms.

Rubin draws a parallel to Trump’s first term, noting that his attempt to repeal the ACA in 2017 ended in failure and led to a wave of Democratic victories in the next election. She pointed out that Trump later falsely claimed to have “saved” the ACA during the 2024 campaign. “By Trump’s own admission, there is no viable alternative,” Rubin wrote, suggesting that history may repeat itself.

Immigration policy could be the next battleground. Rubin suggests that Trump’s hardline approach to immigration, which resonated with many of his far-right supporters, could prove to be disastrous. “Nothing was as near and dear to the hearts of legions of white supremacists and aggrieved MAGA supporters looking for a scapegoat for their economic ills,” she said. However, she warns that implementing such policies would come with a hefty price tag, potentially costing hundreds of billions of dollars. The sweeping measures could disrupt the economy and lead to devastating images, reminiscent of the child separation crisis that Trump eventually had to abandon.

Rubin concludes that Trump may attempt these radical policies, but failure would weaken his presidency and leave him grappling with a self-made economic crisis. If he doubles down, she says, “it could be devastating.” His proposed tariffs, which economists predict would significantly raise consumer prices, could also backfire, forcing Trump to choose between scaling back his ambitions or risking political ruin.

Ultimately, Rubin writes, “Trump can choose to follow his radical ideological backers or he can choose to be politically and economically successful. He cannot do both.”