Q & Trey: What We Know Vs. What We can Prove
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Newsweek
16 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Donald Trump's Approval Rating Changes Direction in Poll
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Donald Trump's approval rating has reversed course after weeks of decline, according to a new poll. The latest Morning Consult survey shows Trump's approval rising to 47 percent, up 2 points from the previous week, while his disapproval dropped to 50 percent, down 2 points. His net approval rating has improved from -7 points to -3 points. The poll was conducted between July 25-27 among 2,202 registered voters and had a margin of error of +/- 2 percentage points. President Donald Trump gestures as he meets European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Turnberry, Scotland, on July 27, 2025. President Donald Trump gestures as he meets European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Turnberry, Scotland, on July 27, 2025. Jacquelyn Martin/AP Why It Matters It comes as polls have shown Trump's approval rating on a downward trajectory in recent weeks amid scrutiny over his handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case from Democrats and even his own supporters. The renewed focus began on July 6, when the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the FBI stated that Epstein had "no incriminating 'client list'" and died by suicide—contradicting earlier claims by Attorney General Pam Bondi, who later walked back her remarks. Scrutiny grew after The Wall Street Journal reported that Bondi told Trump his name appeared in Epstein's files, a claim both deny. Since then, there have been calls from both sides of the aisle to release the Epstein files. Despite this, polls show Trump's popularity has started to recover. What To Know Newsweek's approval tracker also reflects a modest uptick, showing Trump's net approval at -6 (45 percent approve, 51 percent disapprove), up from -7 at the end of last week and -10 earlier in the week. But Morning Consult's findings show that the Epstein case continues to dominate public attention. According to the poll, 75 percent of voters say they have recently seen or heard something about Epstein, including 42 percent who've heard "a lot." Though detailed developments—such as a DOJ meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell, a House vote to subpoena Epstein-related files, and WSJ's reporting about Bondi—are less widely recognized, with around 60 percent of voters reporting having heard about at least one of these angles. Meanwhile, public sentiment around trade and the economy has modestly improved, according to Morning Consult's poll. But Trump's August 1 tariff deadline for foreign governments to reach trade deals with the U.S. could threaten that. The potential impact is significant. If deals are not reached, tariffs on U.S. food imports are scheduled to rise for over 80 countries—affecting nearly 75 percent of all U.S. food imports and likely leading to higher prices for consumers, according to the Tax Foundation. Julie Robbins, CEO of Earthquaker Devices, an Ohio-based manufacturer, told the BBC: "I view the tariffs and the current trade war policy as the largest threat to our business…People have sort of moved on, but now they're going to be reinstated in August—it's going to be right back where we were." But few voters appear focused on Trump's August 1 tariff deadline for foreign governments to reach trade deals with the U.S. Only 23 percent say they've heard "a lot" about it, and just 21 percent think imposing tariffs should be a "top priority." Approval Ratings Show Signs of Stagnation Despite modest gains, many polls show Trump's approval rating remains stuck within a narrow range. McLaughlin & Associates, Quantus Insights, RMG Research, and Emerson College all show his approval holding steady between 46 and 52 percent in recent months, with little movement in net approval. However, other surveys have shown Trump's net approval dropping to its lowest point of his second term. Navigator Research puts Trump at 42 percent approval and 54 percent disapproval, while Gallup and The Bullfinch Group report even lower ratings, with net approval as low as -21.
The Hill
2 hours ago
- The Hill
In the works: A presidential pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell?
As any constitutional scholar will tell you, the Constitution devotes as much time defining the limits of presidential power as it does defining its broad reach. But there is one exception to this: the presidential pardon power. That broad power is clearly spelled out in Article II, Section 2, Clause 1: 'The President…shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment.' The Supreme Court has, in effect, subsequently interpreted that provision as allowing a president to pardon anyone, anytime, for any offense (except impeachment). In his masterful book, 'The Pardon,' CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin argues that use of the pardon is the one time where a president is, for all practical purposes, a 'king.' Such an awesome power was bound to be abused, and several presidents, Republican and Democrat, have done so. Among other abuses, Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon to spare him from prison. Bill Clinton and Joe Biden pardoned members of their own families near the end of their terms. President Trump pardoned supporters who stormed the United States Capitol on Jan. 6. But no previous abuse of the pardon can compare with what dominated the Sunday morning news shows last weekend, and which Trump has so far not ruled out: A possible presidential pardon for Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell. Let's remember who she is and what she is serving time for. Maxwell had more than a romantic relationship with convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. For years, she was Epstein's enabler and procurer. Several young women testified that it was Maxwell herself who had sought them out, introduced them to Epstein, persuaded them to have sex with Epstein and other prominent men, trained them in sexual techniques, and herself participated in some of their sexual encounters. In 2020, federal prosecutors charged that between 1994 and 1997, Maxwell personally ' assisted, facilitated, and contributed ' to the abuse of minor girls despite knowing that one of three unnamed victims was 14 years old.' She was convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison for what Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has accurately described as 'terrible, unspeakable, conspiratorial acts and acts against innocent young people.' And that should be the end of the story, but it's not. Suddenly, having failed in every other attempt to change the narrative on Epstein, the Trump administration is now counting on Maxwell to be its lifeline. Todd Blanche, Trump's former personal attorney, now deputy attorney general, rushed to Tallahassee last week and spent nine hours over two days interviewing Maxwell. Why? We know why Maxwell agreed to talk: She wants to get out of prison. She has already asked the Supreme Court to overturn her criminal conviction. And now she is clearly angling for a presidential pardon from a man who admits he was once one of Epstein's best friends. But by spending so much time with her, Blanche triggered a wave of speculation about a Maxwell pardon. This is especially bizarre, given that Maxwell has nothing to do with all the questions swirling around the White House about the Epstein matter. What Trump's MAGA base wants to know is why he and other administration officials spent six years spreading the conspiracy theory that Epstein was murdered while his client list was being covered up to protect powerful 'elites' only, once in office, to turn around and report that Epstein committed suicide and there is no client list. Why won't they simply release all the Epstein files? Granted, the idea that anyone convicted of sex trafficking in underage girls would merit a presidential pardon is unthinkable. Even Johnson, in a rare break with Trump, admitted ' I have great pause about that, as any reasonable person would.' But what's even more unthinkable is that Trump didn't immediately shoot it down. Instead, when asked by reporters whether he would consider a pardon for Maxwell, Trump would only offer a weak: 'It's something I haven't thought about. I'm allowed to do it, but it's something I have not thought about.' Really? Whether or not to pardon a sexual predator is not something Trump should have to think about. His answer should have been an immediate, emphatic: 'No way, no how. Period.' It's insane even just to toy with the idea. Clearly, this is one point on which Republicans and Democrats can agree: Sexual predators don't get a mulligan. Ghislaine Maxwell does not deserve a presidential pardon. Trump should stop even teasing the possibility of giving her one.
CBS News
2 hours ago
- CBS News
Teenage motorcyclist killed in western Minnesota crash
A teenage motorcyclist was killed in a crash in western Minnesota Monday afternoon, authorities said. The crash happened around 2:15 p.m. at southbound Highway 23 and Travis Road in Marshall, according to the Minnesota State Patrol. The 16-year-old boy driving the motorcycle died at the scene. The other driver, a 67-year-old woman in a Subaru, was not hurt. The patrol released few other details about the crash. The teenager has not been publicly identified. Marshall is about 150 miles west of Minneapolis.
