In Wednesday night's address, President Donald Trump framed the first 11 months in his second term as a miraculous turnaround: order on our border, decreased costs of living, peace in the Middle East, and an economic comeback from the "brink of ruin." But beneath the boasting and exaggerated list of statistics lies a pattern that's common in Washington—expanding executive power and government-led "wins" that come with long-term tradeoffs citizens will ultimately pay for.
Trump's speech was a clear attempt at reclaiming momentum after his approval rating dropped to 39 percent this week, possibly worsened because of escalation with Venezuela. The tensions are causing widespread unease among Americans about another foreign conflict—especially after Trump's campaign promise that he would not bring the U.S. into any new wars. Presidents naturally turn to bold claims of "order" and "strength" when public confidence falls.
