By Jeffrey A. Rendall
The voters’ shifting attitude towards Trump’s promises are a warning to the GOP
With the Memorial Day holiday now in the rearview mirror, is it time for President Donald J. Trump and Republicans to realistically assess their prospects for the upcoming federal midterm elections – and then do something to help themselves?
Here’s thinking most politicos in the White House sphere of influence would imply they’ve already been doing this. Trump has made himself regularly available to media questioners and he’s anointed various administration personnel to meet with the press to field queries directly. It was odd seeing Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance fill in for the administration’s regular press secretary, the very capable Karoline Leavitt, who’s been on maternity leave recently.
But public opinion is fickle. Approval ratings ebb and flow, but one area Trump has seemingly defied the odds is the perception of being aboveboard with Americans regarding his actions if and when he won the opportunity to serve in the Oval Office. Lately, however, there’ve been signs that voters aren’t as inclined to accept Trump at his word.
In a post titled, “Fewer See Trump as Keeping His Campaign Promises”, Rasmussen Reports shared last week:
“The number of voters who think President Donald Trump is keeping his campaign promises has declined since last summer. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that only 11% of Likely U.S. Voters believe most politicians keep their campaign promises. Seventy-five percent (75%) say they do not. Fourteen percent (14%) are not sure.
“Thirty-three percent (33%) of voters say Trump has kept his campaign promises more than most presidents – down from 38% in August 2025. Nearly half (49%) now say Trump has kept his promises less than most of his predecessors. Thirteen percent (13%) rate his performance about the same as other presidents…
“Party affiliation clearly shapes perceptions of Trump in terms of keeping his promise. Sixty percent (60%) of Republicans believe Trump has kept his campaign promises more than most presidents, but 75% of Democrats say Trump has kept his promises less. Among unaffiliated voters, 51% think Trump has kept his campaign promises less than most presidents, while 26% believe Trump has kept his promises more.”
So much for the “Promises Made, Promises Kept” banners in the background of many a Trump rally. While most conservatives and Republicans still stick with Trump and his rapid-fire style of issuing statements and relations with the major establishment media, there does indeed appear to be some slippage in the overall perception.
At this point, any loss of faith in Trump’s ability to tell it like it is – is concerning. Democrats never liked Trump in the first place and didn’t listen to the gist of his promises, either. The fact Democrats don’t give him the benefit of the doubt isn’t all that troublesome here. But, as always, the erosion in the center very much raises red flags for MAGA advocates.
These are the Americans who might otherwise be open to listening to the president and accept his rationales for doing things. Is it time to push the panic button?
The headline for the Rasmussen article jumped out at me. Survey findings at this stage in any election cycle are curious, if not interesting, meant to be paid attention to but mostly supplying good conversation fodder for political junkies probing for something new to jaw over in a particular pre-election month.
But this one stood apart. Americans are losing faith in the president’s willingness to keep his campaign promises? Uh-oh. Regular MAGA followers instinctively understand that, based on past experience with the career real estate developer, tabloid celebrity and reality TV star, Trump says what he means and means what he says. Trump will offer ambiguous clues and hints as to a policy direction, but invariably he’s been fairly consistent on his main themes.
If Trump threatens to strike a foreign nation, they’d better pay attention. If he suggests he’ll use a tariff on country x’s goods to achieve a desired outcome, figure he’ll do it. Or, Trump says he’s serious about making sure Greenland becomes part of the U.S.’s sphere of influence, he’s not being coy.
Many if not most liberals despise Trump because his consistency has lent itself to engendering resentment from those who oppose his policies. The phenomenon has earned Trump a level of reluctant respect from his political enemies because they don’t always have to wonder what he’s up to. If Trump announces that he’d close the border on day one, expect that it will happen.
Trump concluded his first inaugural address by declaring, “I will not let you down.” And it’s been like a mantra ever since for him, though MAGA backers have come to recognize that shades of gray are involved, especially in matters Trump personally can’t control, like the economy, interest rates, housing prices or… human behavior.
Let events shape the narrative? It’s a risky proposition.
By the same token, I dispute the ‘everything’s going to be okay because it’s still early’ mindset of Republicans who argue Americans will wise-up in time to save the day in a little less than six months from now. I also don’t buy in to the “voters don’t like Democrats either” line of persuasion, the very saying-so of the fact simply meant to make the originator of the utterance feel better.
Yes, the Democrats are pretty awful. Every right-thinking person knows it. And the leftist party’s “bench” of leaders isn’t deep. No argument here. But I also surmise that the convincible slice of voters – again, if there are any – will demand a real-world justification to trust Republicans to do what they say after they’re given power for the latter half of Trump’s second term.
Nonstop assurances from Trump on the Iran War’s impending close don’t seem to be doing the trick. And there are no smiling faces at the gas pump as petroleum purchasers watch their family budgets dwindle with each elevated digital tick as they fill their tanks.
Remember that “Price is Right” game with the Bavarian-clad mountain climber ascending the Alps with a cliff waiting at the top (accompanied by yodeling to boot)? If a contestant guessed the wrong prices for the bid items, the poor dude reached the summit and plummeted over the other side, lost the game and presumably would never be seen or heard from again.
If Americans – including some MAGA adherents – feel they’re nearing the apex and can’t stop the momentum, their aversion to voting stupid leaves them. What awaits in the other room is a gaggle of smirking Democrats poised to take their newfound legislative authority and wave it in Republicans’ faces.
So, that’s why conservatives should be worried about the Rasmussen survey that shows voters not as willing to believe Trump’s promises a year into his final term.
The arguments for surmising the GOP can make a comeback are also somewhat persuasive. Byron York featured interview comments from Newt Gingrich on the issue, who indicated Trump eyes July 4th as the embarkation point for the Republican party’s grand 2026 campaign effort, marking a four month blitz that will serve as the 45th and 47th president’s final campaign push.
Gingrich additionally cautioned that this year’s Republican candidates won’t be able to do much unless gas prices have begun precipitously falling by August.
The question is how long will it take for Americans to forget how high fuel levies got in the spring when the Iran War began. Democrats will pound this issue like it’s their worst enemy (or best friend?), and common sense insinuates control of Congress hinges on Republicans making a convincing pitch on the “right track/wrong track” conundrum.
If Trump truly believes what is done and said today won’t matter a lick in November, and there’s a million things that will sway Americans between now and then… he’s probably right. But the “He keeps/doesn’t keep his promises” attitude could linger a long, long time.
No one is suggesting that Trump, after all this time, should drastically change the way he manages the presidency. But his public statements – especially on social media – must be geared towards convincing the persuadable slice of the voter pie to grant him an uninhibited final two years. Tone down the rhetoric and Republicans just might find themselves in a prime slot to make further headway on the MAGA agenda.
Jeff Rendall is editor and publisher of GolfintheUSA.com and has written about golf and politics for over a quarter of a century. A non-practicing attorney from California, he moved to the east coast three decades ago to pursue and combine his interests in all things American history and culture. Jeff has worked as an intern on Capitol Hill and in various capacities in grassroots organizing and conservative organizations and publications, including a nearly two-decade stint at ConservativeHQ.com. Column republishing or other inquiries: Rendall@msn.com .