“What Emerges from Congress Is Not Going to Be as ‘Big’ or ‘Beautiful’”: Trump Turns to Foreign Policy as Domestic Support Wanes

Donald Trump is increasingly leaning on his military strike against Iran and his high-profile NATO appearance to divert attention from mounting problems at home, according to political analyst Larry Jacobs.

Jacobs, director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota, claims the president’s domestic support is slipping—and his much-touted “big beautiful” budget may fall far short of expectations.

Writing for The Guardian, journalist David Smith observed that “in the sixth month of his second presidency, Trump’s domestic honeymoon is over,” citing fresh polling data that paints a mixed picture. While 49% of voters approve of Trump’s handling of immigration, 47% disapprove. On the economy, the numbers are worse—only 43% approve, while 54% disapprove.

This decline in approval appears to be pushing Trump toward foreign policy distractions. His aggressive posture in the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, along with dramatic rhetoric at the recent NATO summit, are seen as attempts to project strength amid weakening domestic momentum.

“There’s two presidencies,” Jacobs said. “The one on the domestic front is gruesome and involves long-drawn-out and disappointing negotiations with Congress and that’s exactly what Donald Trump is engaged in now. What emerges from Congress is not going to be as ‘big’ or ‘beautiful’ as he promised.”

Jacobs added that Trump’s dramatic foreign policy gestures are part of a deliberate strategy. “Meanwhile you’ve got staggering photographs of bombs falling from the sky, Donald Trump’s flamboyant description of what he’s achieved in Iran and Europe. That’s the kind of Hollywood performance that Donald Trump wants.”

But even Trump’s narrative around the Iran operation is starting to unravel. As The Guardian reports, a leaked intelligence assessment suggests the strike only delayed Iran’s nuclear program by a few months—far from the decisive blow Trump claimed.

Jacobs warned that the president’s attempt to distract may backfire. “This is a classic deception. He’s like the carnival barker who’s waving his hands to keep the attention of the audience even as he’s hiding the part for the next trick,” he said. “There will be known cuts to widely used popular programs like healthcare for Medicaid and there will be no doubt as to who’s responsible. These are traceable, highly visible consequences of Donald Trump.”

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