USA Now the customs debacle: Trump's defeats are piling up
It was like a punch in the gut. US Supreme Court judges stripped Donald Trump of the legal basis for tariffs that the president had imposed on numerous countries.
22.02.2026, 05:20
SDA
The 79-year-old now has to accept this embarrassment on the core element of his policy in his second term of office. Trump knows that real political damage is imminent - and is trying to turn the tide at lightning speed. Just a few hours after the court ruling, he announced new tariffs for all countries in the world. First 10 percent, then he goes one better and increases them to 15 percent. The signal: Donald Trump will not be beaten.
However, the tariffs are not the US President's only problem. His defeats have been piling up recently. And further setbacks are looming - the Republican is facing difficult times.
Keynote speech to Congress under enormous pressure
The customs debacle, the full impact of which is still unclear, comes just a few days before Trump's important appearance in the US parliament. The State of the Union - the annual State of the Union address to Congress - is scheduled for Tuesday evening (local time), according to media reports. It is one of the most important political speeches. This stage would actually provide Trump with an opportunity to strike a blow. The displeasure of many Americans is palpable, whether in polls or on the streets in protests against his aggressive deportation policy.
The midterm elections on the horizon
At the same time, eyes are increasingly turning to the mid-term elections in November. The so-called midterms could hand Trump and his Republicans a defeat and the already narrow majorities in both chambers of parliament could be lost. While the Democrats had appeared frozen for months following the election defeat of their presidential candidate Kamala Harris, they have recently become more visible again.
In the midterms, all seats in the House of Representatives and some of the seats in the Senate will be reallocated. If the Democrats win a majority in the midterm elections, the president will face blockades to his plans.
How much longer can he continue to govern with a felt-tip pen?
Trump's second term in office is characterized by a breakneck pace. He is using the power that comes with the office of president per se. With a thick felt-tip pen, he signs decree after decree to push forward his policy of tariffs or the deportation of migrants. Threats and military strength are intended to make the world feel that "America is back" and now comes first (America first).
After a year, this backdrop is showing more and more cracks. Despite some good news in the economy - inflation, for example, has slowed significantly - Trump is not really managing to make a name for himself at the moment. Although the self-proclaimed deal-maker repeats like a prayer wheel that the economy is doing better, there is, according to the Washington Post, "a gap between macroeconomic indicators and public sentiment".
Surveys by Ipsos/Reuters suggest that support for Trump is falling. According to the latest Ipsos survey, 38 percent overall approve of the way Trump is doing his job as president. This compares to 47% when he took office a year ago. What is particularly interesting is that approval is also dwindling in Republican circles - from 91% when he took office to 84% now.
The Epstein affair that Trump wants to keep away from himself
Trump was particularly on the defensive in December. Gritting his teeth and against his will, he signed a law under pressure from Congress that ordered the publication of the Epstein investigation files.
Sex offender Jeffrey Epstein ran an abuse ring that victimized minors. He died in his prison cell in 2019 before a new conviction could have been handed down. Trump also appears in the files - but being named per se means nothing. The Trump administration is vehemently trying to keep the president as far away from the scandal as possible - which is apparently succeeding, while celebrities around the world are stumbling over the scandal. However, the affair is not over for the president either.
The brutal raids and Trump's concession
In addition to the Epstein case, thousands protested on America's streets weeks ago. Brutal scenes during raids against migrants were obviously too much. Federal officers shot and killed two US citizens in Minneapolis during operations. The protest spread.
In the end, Trump withdrew forces from the controversial immigration authority ICE under massive public pressure. But it didn't stop there. Since then, the Democrats have also been arguing with Republicans about stricter rules for such operations. As a result, the Department of Homeland Security has been in a budget deadlock for more than a week, with no new money flowing. A solution for Trump is not in sight.
