Latest news with #GoldenAge
Metro
5 hours ago
- Business
- Metro
Airline founded by UK millionaire 'parks' only plane — after two return flights
From Richard Branson to Elon Musk, powerful men have long been launching themselves into the skies. But Global Airlines, founded by 36-year-old British multimillionaire James Asquith, has found itself grounded after just two return flights. The new UK carrier made its maiden journey on May 19, departing from Glasgow Airport in Scotland for New York's JFK, with a return flight four days later. A second journey from Manchester Airport to New York took place on May 21 and returned on May 25. Global pledged to take passengers back to the 'Golden Age' of travel, delivering premium service on the world's largest passenger plane: the double-decker A380. But even before take-off, the plan was on shaky ground. Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration. Sign up here. Initially, return economy fares were £778, 95% more expensive than a comparative a standard £399 British Airways seat. However, sluggish sales saw those prices more than halved. And now, Global's only plane, 9H-GLOBL, is currently parked up in Tarbes Airport in France. Home to the largest aircraft storage facility in Europe, it's typically used for long-term storage. Tarbes also serves as an aircraft recycling centre, the place where aircraft go 'when the time comes', according to Simple Flying. Global Airlines shared the news on Instagram, but insisted it 'won't be long before [the plane] is up in the clouds once again on the way to the next adventure.' A statement said: 'After completing the latest maintenance in Dresden, 9H-GLOBL will be heading to Tarbes to park until it is time to head off to the next stage of heavy maintenance.' From the beginning, Global Airlines has raised eyebrows among aviation insiders, who questioned whether its business model — using big, old, expensive A380s — is sustainable. And the latest news is only adding to the skepticism. So — as its only plane is parked up for the foreseeable, what's Global Airlines all about, and will they fly again? Metro approached Global Airlines, and a spokesperson stressed that the carrier is very much alive and well. 'The aircraft has not gone to storage,' they said. 'It's just parking in Tarbes. We know the people there well, and it was the perfect place for us to stop off until the next hangar slot is ready for us.' Global says that people have chosen to 'leap to conclusions and got it very wrong.' The spokesperson added: 'There really isn't anything to see here – an aircraft needs to park somewhere and Tarbes has a lot of experience looking after A380's so it makes it the perfect place for now.' While it's unclear what its next steps will be, Global said: 'The plans remain for the aircraft to get the next round of maintenance done and then move on to the next round of operations in due course. 'Meanwhile, various other matters are progressing behind the scenes, and we continue to move ahead with the Global journey.' When asked for specifics on what this plan might be, Global did not respond. Overall, aviation experts aren't convinced. The crux of the issue? Global's business plan is based on using a particular type of aircraft: the Airbus A380, the largest commercial passenger aircraft. These massive, double-decker planes are no longer being made; there are now less than 200 in circulation, after being discontinued in 2021. Today, Emirates remains the largest carrier of A380s. But across the board, they fell out of favour due to running costs. 'The A380 is a massive plane, with four engines, and space for lots of different classes,' Marina Efthymiou, Aviation expert and professor of aviation management at Dublin City University, tells Metro. 'Starting an airline is already incredibly expensive: you need to buy the planes, find the staff, and get your air operator's certificate from the Civil Aviation Authority, which can cost hundreds of thousands.' Which begs the question, why does James think he can build a business on these planes? While some Metro readers welcome the idea of travel being more comfortable for the masses, others have stated that it won't work. Or if it does, it's only a matter of time until money becomes an issue. You can read their thoughts here. And that's where the industry is stumped. The entrepreneur told The Independent that the A380s are actually Global's USP as 'people want the largest commercial aircraft in the world.' 'It's a passenger favourite,' he said. 'It's a crew favourite. It's a pilot favourite. And obviously an airport favourite as well.' He even cited the glamorous Pan Am flight attendants as a reference point for the kind of experience Global Airlines could offer both passengers and employees. As the world still digests the confusing news that an army of uber-rich celebrities headed off to space on a glorified hen-do, is this yet another example of a rich man offering the elite an extravagant way to take to the skies? 'It could be a case of 'boys with big toys',' says Marina. 'Maybe he just wanted to own an airline in the same way some men want a football club. 'But A380s aren't that prestigious anymore. They might be a novelty, and people might be curious, but in the aviation world, they're not that impressive.' And given the ratio of first-class passengers to economy, the idea that Global is only for the top 0.1%, doesn't quite ring true either. 'It would be easy to say he's just catering to an elite, but the majority of Global's passengers will be in economy, paying the lowest fares,' says Marina. Another problem with A380s is their load factor, which relates to how efficiently they are can fill available seats. 'The A380s can carry from around 500 to more than 800 people, depending on the configuration of seats,' says Marina. 'This is a huge amount of passengers, which even big airlines have problems filling. The average on a transatlantic flight route is about 250. 'Global could be flying with half-empty planes and there are already very thin profit margins when it comes to plane tickets. 'How long Global can survive, will depend on how rich James Asquith is, and how long he is able to afford operating at a loss.' When asked about the latest development that Global's plane is currently parked in a storage facility, Marina said it was a sign that 'this airline is not working.' She continued: 'They say the aircraft is being sent for heavy maintenance, but in any case, they're not doing much traffic.' The statistics are pretty bleak: over 18 months, the aircraft has only clocked up 62 hours of flight time, including test flights and trips for maintenance. 'What are their profit margins, considering how few flights they've taken?' Marina asks. When asked whether this could be the end of the road for Global, she said she couldn't speculate but added: 'At a minimum, the aircraft will be out for four to 10 weeks, and it's only just taken off. 'As a business model, it's not picking up.' Global is the brainchild of self-made UK millionaire, James Asquith, who became the youngest person to travel to all 196 countries, aged just 24. Already CEO and founder of Airbnb rival, Holiday Swap, James announced plans for his start-up airline back in 2022 — a dream he'd had since he was a child, growing up with pilot parents. In a world where Ryanair charges €55 for the simple pleasure of checking in at the airport, James has vowed that Global would 'bring back the golden age of air travel, with a modern flair.' In other words, that it will make flying glam again. For first-class passengers, that would mean 12ft long 'suites' with the potential for a double bed. Forgetting no subgenre of traveller, the airline even created a 'Gamer class', complete with Xbox and Playstations. However, that plan has since been dropped. More Trending Ambitious plans said flights would launch from London Gatwick in 2023, and that by 2025, a fleet of 100 planes would fly from European hubs too. However, as with most start-ups, not everything went according to plan. After the two transatlantic trips from the UK to NYC in May, no other flights are on sale. A version of this article was originally published on May 15. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: London's Oyster card prices to nearly double – full list of affected cards MORE: 'First-of-its-kind' Eurostar-style train to directly connect UK with Berlin and two more cities MORE: Our Travel Editors' picks of underrated destinations in the easyJet summer 2026 sale
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump is unpopular, polls show, and he's building an America most Americans hate
President Donald Trump, in the eyes of Donald Trump and the toadies who populate his administration, is overseeing the most successful stretch of any president in our lifetimes. That bent-reality view of what's actually happening is, of course, pure and predictable propaganda. Even the kindest interpretation of public opinion polling on Trump and his unhinged leadership thus far tells us this: The president is wildly unpopular, and he is creating a crueler version of America that a sizable majority of voters reject. Trump spent the weekend posting wildly on Truth Social and sharing glowing images of himself with the words '6 MONTHS OF WINNING' alongside AI-generated videos showing former President Barack Obama being arrested. You know, the kind of normal presidential stuff that self-confident, emotionally stable presidents usually post. Trump thinks he's winning, but Americans see a big-time loser His vampiric deputy chief of staff and most-favored henchman, Stephen Miller, posted on X: 'The most incredible opening 6 months to an American presidency in history.' Like Miller, the architect of Trump's draconian and increasingly cruel mass deportations, numbers don't have a soul. But unlike Miller and all who've sold they're souls to work with an opportunistic bully like Trump, numbers don't lie. Opinion: Trump keeps brutalizing immigrants because he's failing at everything else So let's take a look at what the numbers are saying about this allegedly amazing six months of presidential winning. Trump's approval after six months stinks, by any measure A CBS News poll conducted July 16 through July 18 found 58% of Americans disapprove of the way Trump is handling his job as president. Only 42% approve, a drop of a whopping 11 percentage points since a February CBS News poll. That's not good. Citing Gallup polling, USA TODAY reported Trump's June approval ratings during the first year of each of his two terms 'are lower than any other modern president at the same time in their administrations.' And polling averages from the New York Times to CNN to YouGov show Trump's approval wallowing in the low 40s. Trump's support on immigration – his big issue – has tanked If you're the person who is supposed to be president for all Americans, that is a far cry from 'winning.' Although if you care only about yourself and legislated cruelty, as Trump clearly does, I suppose such things don't matter. Diving deeper into polling numbers, you can see how unpopular much of Trump's 'Golden Age' agenda is, even when it comes to issues he has long polled well on, like immigration and the economy. The recent CBS News poll found only 44% approve of Trump's handling of immigration, down from 10 percentage points from March. Americans disapprove of Trump's hateful immigration policies A Gallup poll released July 11 found only 35% of Americans approve of Trump's handling of immigration, with 62% disapproving and 45% strongly disapproving. Now that Americans are seeing masked ICE agents round up hardworking migrants and shuttle them off to foreign countries or lock them in detention centers surrounded by alligators, only about 30% of Americans say immigration should be reduced – that number was at 55% last year. And there's this from the same Gallup poll: 'a record-high 79% of U.S. adults say immigration is a good thing for the country.' Support for hiring more border agents has dropped 17 percentage points since last year, and only 38% of respondents want to see all undocumented immigrations deported. A Pew Research Center survey last month noted: 'About a quarter of U.S. adults (23%) say they worry a lot or some that they or someone close to them could be deported.' Dear Grandma: Trump took your Medicaid, so it's time for you to work the fields | Opinion Again, this is winning only if you want things your way and don't care what a majority of your fellow citizens want, which has long been a defining characteristic of the MAGA movement. Most believe Trump's policies will hurt them, their families and their friends A recent AP-NORC poll found that about half of Americans 'feel Trump's policies have done more to hurt them' than help them, while only a quarter of respondents said Trump's policies have helped them. The CBS News poll found 60% of Americans oppose Trump's tariffs on imported goods, only 36% approve of his handling of inflation, and only 25% of voters believe the 'One Big, Beautiful Bill' Trump recently signed will do anything to help them, while 47% think it will hurt them. A Quinnipiac University poll released July 16 showed Trump sizably underwater on immigration, trade, the economy, deportations, foreign policy, the Russia-Ukraine war, the Israel-Hamas war and tariffs. On the Epstein scandal, Trump is flailing and failing And lest we forget the ongoing Jeffrey Epstein scandal, the Quinnipiac poll found 63% of voters disapprove of the Trump Administration's handling of the case. Your Turn: President Trump, I supported you. Release the Epstein list – or resign. | Opinion Forum Taken in total, there's one inescapable conclusion: This has been six months of losing for President Trump and his administration, on virtually every issue. He is unpopular, the things he's doing are unpopular, and that lack of popularity isn't going to help him as the Epstein scandal continues to envelop his presidency. Trump lies – numbers don't. Remember that next time he brags. Trump can brag all he wants and keep declaring his own greatness, but anyone who has paid attention to him over the years knows these numbers are an assault on his fragile ego. That's why he's flailing so much right now, why his social-media account is a stream of babbling, self-congratulatory or authoritarian wish-casting nonsense. Trump won't tell you the truth. He won't even consider the truth himself. That should make Americans like him even less. Follow USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke on Bluesky at @ and on Facebook at You can read diverse opinions from our USA TODAY columnists and other writers on the Opinion front page, on X, formerly Twitter, @usatodayopinion and in our Opinion newsletter. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Surprise! Most Americans think Trump is making America worse | Opinion
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
TSA is giving parents their own security lanes to make family travel less stressful
From family-only security lanes to TSA PreCheck discounts, here's how the new campaign is transforming air travel for parents. Traveling through airport security with kids just got easier. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announces the 'Families on the Fly' campaign, a groundbreaking initiative designed to make air travel more accommodating for families. Dedicated family lanes and personalized support Launched by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and unveiled by Secretary Noem, 'Families on the Fly' introduces dedicated security lanes for families at select airports. These family lanes are already operational at Orlando International (MCO) and Charlotte-Douglas International (CLT), with plans to expand to John Wayne Airport (SNA), Daniel K. Inouye International (HNL), and others in the coming months. This latest initiative continues the agency's mission to bring the U.S. into the "Golden Age of Travel", emphasizing customer experience and hospitality while maintaining high security standards. The dedicated family lanes provide a streamlined process, where TSA officers are trained to work with children and parents in a more patient and supportive manner. 'DHS and TSA are committed to making the airport security experience as smooth and stress-free as possible for traveling families,' said Adam Stahl, the Senior Official Performing the Duties of Deputy TSA Administrator. 'This is about meeting families where they are and supporting them with smarter solutions.' The TSA PreCheck discount: A smart move or strategic pivot? Perhaps the most notable addition to the campaign is the upcoming discounted TSA PreCheck® fee for families. While full details on pricing and eligibility haven't been released, TSA confirmed that this offering will launch soon, likely in time to help families prepare for the holiday travel season. This move appears to be more than just a goodwill gesture; it's a timely response to the lingering question: Is TSA PreCheck still a valuable option? After the agency revised its policy of requiring passengers to remove their shoes during security screenings nationwide, a policy rooted in the infamous 2001 'Shoe Bomber' incident, many travelers, especially parents, began reevaluating the benefits of enrolling in TSA PreCheck. PreCheck allows approved travelers to bypass many of the standard screening hassles, such as removing shoes and liquids, which is also on the chopping block. For families, this means fewer meltdowns and faster processing through security checkpoints. The new discount could be the push many need to justify their decision to finally sign up, although children 17 and under can currently enjoy TSA PreCheck perks if traveling with an enrolled parent or guardian. Why now? The TSA has long walked a tightrope between security and convenience. But with mounting criticism from everyday travelers and public figures, the agency is clearly feeling the pressure to evolve. Between the Families on the Fly campaign, upcoming TSA PreCheck discounts, and underutilized services like TSA Cares, it's clear that the agency is making meaningful strides to accommodate families. TSA no longer views its role as just a security enforcer, but as a hospitality partner. As the program expands to more airports, including Tampa International (TPA), Charleston (CHS), Jacksonville (JAX), and San Juan's Luis Muñoz Marín International (SJU), families across the country can expect a more humane and supportive travel experience. With summer in full swing and the holiday season just around the corner, these changes couldn't have come at a better time. Solve the daily Crossword
USA Today
a day ago
- Politics
- USA Today
Trump is unpopular, polls show, and he's building an America most Americans hate
President Trump is wildly unpopular, and he is creating a crueler version of America that a sizable majority of voters reject. President Donald Trump, in the eyes of Donald Trump and the toadies who populate his administration, is overseeing the most successful stretch of any president in our lifetimes. That bent-reality view of what's actually happening is, of course, pure and predictable propaganda. Even the kindest interpretation of public opinion polling on Trump and his unhinged leadership thus far tells us this: The president is wildly unpopular, and he is creating a crueler version of America that a sizable majority of voters reject. Trump spent the weekend posting wildly on Truth Social and sharing glowing images of himself with the words '6 MONTHS OF WINNING' alongside AI-generated videos showing former President Barack Obama being arrested. You know, the kind of normal presidential stuff that self-confident, emotionally stable presidents usually post. Trump thinks he's winning, but Americans see a big-time loser His vampiric deputy chief of staff and most-favored henchman, Stephen Miller, posted on X: 'The most incredible opening 6 months to an American presidency in history.' Like Miller, the architect of Trump's draconian and increasingly cruel mass deportations, numbers don't have a soul. But unlike Miller and all who've sold they're souls to work with an opportunistic bully like Trump, numbers don't lie. Opinion: Trump keeps brutalizing immigrants because he's failing at everything else So let's take a look at what the numbers are saying about this allegedly amazing six months of presidential winning. Trump's approval after six months stinks, by any measure A CBS News poll conducted July 16 through July 18 found 58% of Americans disapprove of the way Trump is handling his job as president. Only 42% approve, a drop of a whopping 11 percentage points since a February CBS News poll. That's not good. Citing Gallup polling, USA TODAY reported Trump's June approval ratings during the first year of each of his two terms 'are lower than any other modern president at the same time in their administrations.' And polling averages from the New York Times to CNN to YouGov show Trump's approval wallowing in the low 40s. Trump's support on immigration – his big issue – has tanked If you're the person who is supposed to be president for all Americans, that is a far cry from 'winning.' Although if you care only about yourself and legislated cruelty, as Trump clearly does, I suppose such things don't matter. Diving deeper into polling numbers, you can see how unpopular much of Trump's 'Golden Age' agenda is, even when it comes to issues he has long polled well on, like immigration and the economy. The recent CBS News poll found only 44% approve of Trump's handling of immigration, down from 10 percentage points from March. Americans disapprove of Trump's hateful immigration policies A Gallup poll released July 11 found only 35% of Americans approve of Trump's handling of immigration, with 62% disapproving and 45% strongly disapproving. Now that Americans are seeing masked ICE agents round up hardworking migrants and shuttle them off to foreign countries or lock them in detention centers surrounded by alligators, only about 30% of Americans say immigration should be reduced – that number was at 55% last year. And there's this from the same Gallup poll: 'a record-high 79% of U.S. adults say immigration is a good thing for the country.' Support for hiring more border agents has dropped 17 percentage points since last year, and only 38% of respondents want to see all undocumented immigrations deported. A Pew Research Center survey last month noted: 'About a quarter of U.S. adults (23%) say they worry a lot or some that they or someone close to them could be deported.' Dear Grandma: Trump took your Medicaid, so it's time for you to work the fields | Opinion Again, this is winning only if you want things your way and don't care what a majority of your fellow citizens want, which has long been a defining characteristic of the MAGA movement. Most believe Trump's policies will hurt them, their families and their friends A recent AP-NORC poll found that about half of Americans 'feel Trump's policies have done more to hurt them' than help them, while only a quarter of respondents said Trump's policies have helped them. The CBS News poll found 60% of Americans oppose Trump's tariffs on imported goods, only 36% approve of his handling of inflation, and only 25% of voters believe the 'One Big, Beautiful Bill' Trump recently signed will do anything to help them, while 47% think it will hurt them. A Quinnipiac University poll released July 16 showed Trump sizably underwater on immigration, trade, the economy, deportations, foreign policy, the Russia-Ukraine war, the Israel-Hamas war and tariffs. On the Epstein scandal, Trump is flailing and failing And lest we forget the ongoing Jeffrey Epstein scandal, the Quinnipiac poll found 63% of voters disapprove of the Trump Administration's handling of the case. Your Turn: President Trump, I supported you. Release the Epstein list – or resign. | Opinion Forum Taken in total, there's one inescapable conclusion: This has been six months of losing for President Trump and his administration, on virtually every issue. He is unpopular, the things he's doing are unpopular, and that lack of popularity isn't going to help him as the Epstein scandal continues to envelop his presidency. Trump lies – numbers don't. Remember that next time he brags. Trump can brag all he wants and keep declaring his own greatness, but anyone who has paid attention to him over the years knows these numbers are an assault on his fragile ego. That's why he's flailing so much right now, why his social-media account is a stream of babbling, self-congratulatory or authoritarian wish-casting nonsense. Trump won't tell you the truth. He won't even consider the truth himself. That should make Americans like him even less. Follow USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke on Bluesky at @ and on Facebook at
Yomiuri Shimbun
2 days ago
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Consumed by Epstein, Trump Has Lost Ground on the Economy and Immigration
President Donald Trump spent much of last week trying to fend off a revolt in his base over the Jeffrey Epstein case, but he has more than just problems within his own MAGA followers. He has lost ground with the broader public on issues that once were among his strongest attributes. A year ago, voters saw Trump as a better steward of the economy than Vice President Kamala Harris. His tough talk on immigration appealed to many voters who saw the southern border as out of control and who blamed the Biden administration for the huge influx of undocumented migrants. Now he's getting negative reviews on both. A new Gallup poll shows a remarkable turnaround in public sentiment about aspects of immigration policy. Other recent surveys find significant dissatisfaction with Trump's handling of the economy. When he was sworn in, Trump promised a new 'Golden Age.' It's clear that, six months into his presidency, the public isn't buying all the hype. Trump would like nothing better than to point to successes in his second term, and he has had some. The swirling Epstein controversy makes that difficult. Trump has tried to dismiss the controversy as Democratic-manufactured fakery, though this was always an issue generated by conspiracy theorists in the president's base. He wants Attorney General Pam Bondi to seek the release of pertinent grand jury testimony, a dodge that doesn't address demands for full transparency. For now, he seems stuck, unless his threatened lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal over a story that says he sent a risqué 50th birthday note to Epstein (which he denies) consolidates his base. The White House would like to change the subject, but when press secretary Karoline Leavitt tried to do that at the top of her Thursday briefing, her lengthy opening statement helped to highlight apparent concerns about public sentiment on both the economy and immigration. Leavitt reeled off statistics trying to make the case that the economy is working for people. She provided citations of arrests as evidence that Trump is ridding the country of migrants with violent criminal records. It will take more than that to drown out the Epstein controversy and change public opinion about his other policies. This comes at a moment when the president has notched some clear successes. Congress approved the big tax cut and immigration bill. The Supreme Court has given him some victories, including a green light to fire thousands of federal workers. The airstrike on Iran's nuclear facilities has brought a ceasefire between Iran and Israel and set back Iran's nuclear program. NATO nations have agreed to increase defense spending. This past week Trump agreed to send Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine, paid for by the Europeans. That decision came after his public complaints about Russian President Vladimir Putin's continued assault on Ukraine and public perceptions that the Russian leader has played the American president on the issue of a ceasefire and settlement of the war. Trump also has delivered on his campaign promise to tighten security at the U.S.-Mexico border. Illegal crossings are at a low point. His problem is that people don't like other aspects of his immigration policy: the aggressive roundups of undocumented and sometimes legal migrants, the deployment of U.S. military forces to Los Angeles to quell protests, numerous legal battles over the deportations that have pitted the administration against the courts. All have contributed to the reshaping of public opinion. The result is something Trump could never have imagined when he was sworn in: The public now sees the value of immigration more positively and widespread deportations and the administration's enforcement tactics less positively. Last year, 55 percent of Americans said they wanted a reduction in immigration, according to Gallup. Today, that's dropped to 30 percent. Gallup also notes that a record 79 percent of Americans say immigration is a good thing for the country. That's a 15-point jump in the past year. Meanwhile, support for hiring more border agents, which is supposed to happen under the new 'big, beautiful bill' the president signed on July 4, has declined by 17 points in the past year. Support for deporting all undocumented immigrants has dropped nine points, to 38 percent. In the Gallup poll, support for allowing undocumented immigrants to become U.S. citizens has risen eight points to 78 percent – though that's a bit lower than the 84 percent in 2016. The percentage of Republicans who support a path to citizenship has risen from 46 percent a year ago to 59 percent today. The Post's average of high-quality polls shows a clear deterioration in Trump's approval rating on immigration. In May, the average showed Americans evenly divided. The average so far in July shows 42 percent saying they approve and 54 percent disapproving. The protests that erupted in early June appear to be the catalyst for a reappraisal of Trump on immigration. Before the protests, his immigration approval rating was 49 percent positive, 49 percent negative. Since then, the average of the post-protests polls shows his standing at 42 percent positive, 54 percent negative. Before he was sworn in, public expectations for Trump were highest on the economy and immigration, according to a Washington Post-Schar School poll of swing state voters. In that survey, 62 percent said they expected Trump to do an 'excellent' or 'good' job on the economy and 59 percent said they thought he would do an 'excellent' or 'good' job on immigration. Also, 46 percent said they thought his presidency would help their finances, with 31 percent saying it would hurt them financially. Until the pandemic took hold in the spring of 2020, Trump enjoyed relatively strong ratings on the economy. Things deteriorated during the pandemic and judgments were about evenly divided just before the 2020 election. Today the public is dissatisfied with his economic performance. An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs survey last week showed that 38 percent approved of his economic management and 60 percent disapproved. A Quinnipiac University poll put his economic approval numbers only slightly better: 43 percent approving, 55 percent disapproving. In the AP-NORC poll, nearly half (49 percent) said his policies have done more to hurt them than help them. About 1 in 4 (27 percent) said they have done more to help them. The rest said the policies have not made a difference. A majority said the new tax bill will do more to help the wealthy and that it will hurt people with lower incomes. In the Quinnipiac poll, 40 percent said they approved of his handling of trade, with 56 percent disapproving. Predictions that Trump's tariffs will trigger a major new bout of inflation have not been borne out, though all the tariffs are not in place. The Federal Reserve has been cautious about cutting interest rates because of the uncertainty around the tariffs. Trump continues to badger Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell, whom he would like replaced, to cut those rates substantially. Many economists say a cut of the size Trump wants would risk an inflationary spike. There's history to buttress those concerns. In 1972, President Richard M. Nixon pressured Fed Chair Arthur F. Burns, and the subsequent loosening of monetary policy helped unleash an inflationary rise. Trump continues to accumulate power in the presidency and exercise it to change government and major institutions. He plays a dominant role in the world. But his six-month report card provides indications that the public hasn't fully bought into his program, warnings that he can't easily ignore.
