Ever since President Donald Trump returned to office, he’s been pumping out legislation and wasting no time reshaping the country in his eye. While many of his supporters praised the president for getting straight to work on the East Wing demolition, his deportation mandate and his attempts to rewrite the Constitution, many folks are wondering if Trump is just trying to do everything he can before he runs out of time.
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No, we’re not talking about his age… although Trump is one of the oldest Americans presidents at 79 years old.
The same country that elected him is slowly starting to turn on him, and certainly Trump must feel the pressure. Americans continue to protest his administration, and politicians are devising plans to undermine his presidential agenda. So now, The Root is looking at all the signs that Trump isn’t getting what he wants — and that he might be out of time soon.
Democrat Flips Seat Over Mar-a-Lago
With Trump’s estate of Mar-a-Lago located in Florida, it’s almost unthinkable that a Democrat could ever flip a political seat in the red state… That is until a recent special election went down to fill the vacant House seat left by Republican state Rep. Mike Caruso, who resigned last August.
Trump and state Republicans pushed all of their support to Jon Maples, a Black MAGA Republican, the New York Post reported. In the end, he lost by less than 800 votes casted in the Palm Beach-area district. Democrat Emily Gregory claimed victory, marking the first time in years that a Democrat has any representation in the district.
Trump Actually Getting Along with Mamdani
After months of Trump threatening to pull federal funding if New York City elected mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, he finally sat down with the Democratic socialism for a meeting that went surprisingly well. The two opposing leaders were able to find common ground with Trump even admitting he and Mamdani want similar things. “Some of his ideas really are the same ideas that I have,” Trump said of the elected mayor. “I want him to do a great job, and we’ll help him do a great job.”
There’s no secret that Mamdani represents a new wave of Democratic leaders. And if Trump is seemingly onboard with his leadership, then what does that say about the president who continues to target his political enemies.
Marjorie Taylor Greene Resigns from Office
Ga. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene announced she will resign from Congress in January, sending shockwaves across the Republican party. Of course, Greene’s announcement was a relief for many GOP leaders who have been critical of her recent politics. With Greene’s Congressional seat now vacate just before the 2026 midterms, insiders fear Georgia Republicans won’t be able to keep her seat red. If that’s the case, this could mean trouble for MAGA and for the president.
Government Leaders Step Down Because of Trump
When Trump was elected, several prominent political leaders stepped down from their positions in protest. David Lebryk, previously the highest-ranking Treasury Department official, retired in January after disagreements with Elon Musk, TIME Magazine reported. Former director of the Food and Drug Administration’s food division Jim Jones stepped down in February after Trump and Musk made significant cuts to the FDA.
“I was looking forward to working to pursue the department’s agenda of improving the health of Americans by reducing diet-related chronic disease and risks from chemicals in food,” Jones wrote in his resignation letter, according to Bloomberg. He blamed Trump’s “disdain for the very people” needed to implement food safety policies for his resignation.
Pushback from Federal Judges, Attorney Generals
There are currently 234 active lawsuit against the Trump administration, according to The Lawfare Institute. Compared to lawsuits against former President Joe Biden’s administration (133 in total), Trump clearly frequents the courtroom more than most modern presidents. With this, many judges have ruled against him and even threatened him with contempt of court. U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley blocked the Trump administration’s efforts to cut federal funding for health research grants back in March.
Other folks like Attorney General Keith Ellison took Trump to court over the Department of Education. “I’ll say it as often as I have to: Donald Trump is not a king and I will not let him be a dictator,” Ellison said. “He does not have the authority to effectively shut down an entire federal department that is authorized by Congress, and his attempt to do so is illegal and unconstitutional.”
Deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia
The story of Kilmar Abrego Garcia has unexpectedly become a focal point in Trump’s ongoing deportation “mandate.” Abrego Garcia lived in Maryland with his American wife and children. Then in March 2025, he was wrongfully deported to a notorious prison in El Salvador, his native country. The Trump administration reportedly believed he was a member of a gang, although Abrego Garcia denies this.
His case forced Trump to bring the father back to the U.S., but now, the president wants to deport him to Liberia. The administration has faced massive scrutiny from the public and the courts, who ruled that Trump acted against the Constitution.
Canada Prime Minister Ends Relationship w U.S
Trump announced unprecedented tariffs on dozens of countries around the world– including close trade allies like Canada, China and Mexico. In response, newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney declared the end of the “friendly” relationship the neighboring nations had for decades. Canada also imposed their own tariffs on American goods in April.
Besides the fact that most nations would simply rather not have beef with their upstairs neighbor, tensions between Trump and Carney has since spilled onto the public. Canadian sports fans have been heard booing the National Anthem during Toronto Raptors and Ottawa Senators games.
Elon Musk’s Dissent
Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Trump’s friendship quickly unraveled in June after Musk tweeted bombshell claims that Trump won’t release the infamous Epstein files because his name is in them. The former DOGE head also claimed the president would’ve lost last year’s election without him, and this was followed by a series of back-and-forths between the two men in front of the entire world. As the richest man alive and Trump’s biggest campaign donor, Musk’s dissent represented a major split within the GOP. Now, the billionaire announced he will start his own political party, the America Party.
The Slow but Brutal Unraveling of the Epstein Files
And speaking of Epstein…
The president campaigned on the promise to “release the Epstein files,” including the alleged client list of wealthy donors and participants in the child sexual abuse ring on disgraced financier Jeffery Epstein’s island. But once he got into office, he repeatedly dodged questions about the files and insisted there was nothing for the public to see. Then, Musk’s bombshell tweets revived frustrations within the Republican Party. In fact, several GOP leaders have sided against Trump, further ripping the delicate fabric of the Republican Party. Congress is not set to vote on the release of the files. This comes days after Congress released 20,000 Epstein documents, many of which directly reference Trump.
No Kings Day Protests
June 14 marked the 250th anniversary of the Army and the president’s 79th birthday. To celebrate, he organized a military parade that was met with national outrage. This ultimately led to the “No Kings Day” protests on June 14 and again on Oct. 18. The protests were reportedly the largest in American history, suggesting that more and more Americans are loudly opposing Trump and exercising their First Amendment right.
MAGA Turns on Trump
Ever since President Donald Trump returned to the White House, the GOP has had difficulty trying to uphold the Constitution all while appeasing the president. And now, the cracks are starting to show in the form of visible dissent. Folks like Ga. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and political commentator Tucker Carlson have publicly opposed Trump and his administration’s policies. Conservative podcaster Candace Owens even said she’s embarrassed she voted for Trump back in June.
Responses to National Guard Deployment
Trump sent the National Guard to multiple cities, including Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. this past summer, and he was met with imediate backlash. In fact, state leaders sued the administration of the deployment and were even granted a restraining order from future deployments across the country, according to NBC News.
The Fate of Trump Economics
Inflation is at 3.0 percent, the unemployment rate is at 4.3 percent and the S&P 500 is up 11.4 percent since Trump took office. The Economist predicted that Trump’s policies will have negative impacts on the U.S. economy in the next few years. Given that the president promised to bring down the price of groceries on “day one,” many Americans are becoming restless as affordability concerns continue to go unheard.
Rising Democrats in the Face of Trump
Leaders like Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett and Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom have risen in the ranks as strong opponents to President Trump. Newsom, who is silently eyeing a 2028 presidential bid, has mastered the art of trolling Trump on X using the president’s all-CAPS, self-praising playbook. Crockett is known as a fiery congresswoman who knows exactly how to push Trump’s buttons. She’s challenged the president on social media and in interviews, which has forced him to respond with “low-IQ” insults.
Government Shutdown
The longest federal shutdown in American history officially ended after 43 days, but Americans nation-wide were left with a bitter taste in their mouth from how the Trump administration treated them. Under the shutdown, hundreds of thousands of government workers were furloughed without pay, we reported. Nearly 42 million more Americans went without SNAP benefits for the first time in American history after Trump refused to tap into emergency funding. Now, the government is trying to go back to normal, but it still has to deal with millions of dollars in back pay, giving out SNAP funds to those in need and TSA, which was forced to increase flight cancellations in light of the shutdown.
Blue Wave on Nov. 4
In the Nov. 4 election, Democrats celebrated major wins across the nation. From Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s win to Virginia choosing the first female governor in Democrat Abigail Spanberger, it’s clear that American voters resonated with Democrats more than Republicans in the face of Trump. Californians overwhelming voted in favor of Prop 50, which gives the state the right to redraw voting district lines ahead of the 2026 midterms. It seems the Democrats are regrouping and gaining more popularity among voters, and this could spell out trouble for the president.
Trump’s Approval Rating Down
Americans are getting sick of Trump, if they aren’t already. The proof is in the president’s horrific approval rating, which just keeps dropping as his time in office continues. As of Nov. 14, Trump’s net approval rating is a shocking negative 18 percent, which is down 0.2 points from last week, the Economist reported. Only 39 percent of folks approve of his job while the majority of Americans, 57 percent, disapprove.
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