President Donald Trump is trying to project brute strength as he turns 80, but mounting political problems at home and abroad are tarnishing his self-styled image as an all-powerful leader.
Trump will celebrate becoming an octogenarian as he hosts an extravagant, $60 million Ultimate Fighting Championship showcase on the White House South Lawn Sunday night.
He has made a habit of attending high-profile sporting events, including the NBA Finals in New York earlier this week. And he’s announced he will headline a rally on the National Mall to mark the US’s 250th birthday.
It’s an all-out effort to inject himself into nearly every corner of American culture. But political spectacle, and overseeing the body blows of mixed martial-arts fighters, can’t hide that Trump’s political capital is declining. He is struggling to end an unpopular war with Iran, some fellow Republicans have begun to resist his ideas and polls show his support outside his devoted base is waning.
In public, Trump has expressed nothing but confidence. But privately, he has become increasingly frustrated, according to a person close to the White House, who requested anonymity to discuss internal dynamics.
Some of Trump’s public appearances have instead revealed the depth of the public’s antipathy toward him. The crowd inside Madison Square Garden resoundingly booed Trump at the NBA Finals game when he was shown on the arena’s big screen, though he reported hearing “mostly cheers.” He announced his 250th anniversary rally plan only after musical acts pulled out of scheduled performances, citing the political nature of the celebrations.
On top of that, as only the second US president to turn 80 in office, he is facing questions about his age and abilities.
“There’s a feeling when you hear someone is 80 that they are incapacitated,” presidential historian Douglas Brinkley said. “President Trump is trying to show himself to the manosphere as being fit as a fiddle, golfing regularly. And he wants to associate himself with things like wrestling and race cars and the Knicks game to show he is out and about and at full capacity.”
The dynamic is playing out months ahead of the November midterm elections, which will determine control of Congress. If Democrats reclaim one or both chambers, it could erode Trump’s power in Washington even further. Republicans outside the White House are worried about the president’s polling and substantial midterm losses, according to the person.
The White House has publicly brushed aside that narrative and has boasted that Trump remains a kingmaker within the GOP. Allies have pointed to two sitting senators who lost their primaries after Trump endorsed their opponents.
On a few occasions, however, Trump has let his frustration show. He expressed regret for endorsing a candidate for governor in Iowa who lost the Republican primary. He blamed his political advisers, telling reporters Thursday that he would have supported the other candidate “had I been given the proper information.”
The president continues to make superlative statements about his health and negotiating abilities. On social media Trump recently posted a photo of himself with the headline: “President Trump ages in reverse!” So far he has spent little time publicly reflecting on the milestone. Asked by a reporter what he wishes for his birthday, he replied, “Peace for the world.”
Meanwhile, Trump advisers have aggressively pushed back against questions about Trump’s health after his recent physical examination. They have countered talk about his tendency to close his eyes during events by posting on social media pictures of reporters with their eyes closed. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung recently took to social media on a Saturday night to declare that Trump “It’s 9:30 PM on a Saturday night and President Trump is still in the Oval Office working hard for the American people.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted that the UFC event is nothing more than a pastime for Trump, saying “he is a sports guy.”
“The president naturally projects strength every day by leading the strongest country in the history of the world,” she said in a statement.
Intentional or not, the fight setup symbolizes Trump’s control over the White House. A massive venue — dubbed “the Claw” — has been constructed on the South Lawn soaring nearly 100 feet up, higher than the building itself, with seating for 4,300 guests. The event’s infrastructure totals 380,000 tons, according to organizers. ESPN reported earlier on the logistics.
So far, Trump’s alpha-male roadshow has largely focused on topics other than the economic impact of the war in Iran. When asked about those concerns, Trump has insisted oil prices will drop if a pending deal is signed in coming days. His public comments to reporters have heavily focused on his Washington renovation projects, such as the resealing of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Oftentimes, pocketbook issues seem like an afterthought.
Asked Wednesday about new data that showed inflation was at a three-year high, Trump told reporters, “I love the inflation,” comments he later told the New York Post were taken out of context.
Earlier in the week, he was glib when he and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin were asked if they would attend the next NBA Finals game in San Antonio. Zeldin said the White House was busy with “important stuff.”
To that, Trump added: “Like a war.”
The president’s approval rating has dropped consistently for months, forcing Republicans running in midterm elections to battle heavy headwinds with unhappy voters. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll showed that 35% of adults approve of Trump’s performance, compared with 63% who disapprove. Polling shows persistent concern about prices and the cost of living.
“In his second term, the older he gets, the lower his job rating goes. It’s the reverse Benjamin Button,” said Democratic pollster Jeff Horwitt of Hart Research. “He may be trying to project strength, Americans see weakness and that he’s not delivering on what he promised — lowering costs and ending military conflicts.”
Trump has nonetheless made clear he is doing things his way and has surrounded himself with a team that supports his every whim. That stands in contrast with his first term, when at times advisers sought to talk him out of drastic actions. He will try to keep flexing his muscles moving forward even if Democrats prevail in November, Brinkley said.
“Trump’s not going to allow himself to be perceived as a lame duck,” he said.
Trump has said he knows he cannot run for a third term — although he has continued to tease the possibility. He has escaped some questions about his age as a result, compared with President Joe Biden who was dogged with concerns about his advancing years, especially after he attempted to seek another term after turning 80.
Trump’s overall approach to his birthday is vastly different than that with past presidential celebrations, which have ranged from quiet family gatherings or celebrity-studded fundraisers.
Biden marked his 80th privately. Bill Clinton turned 50 while in office and had a giant fundraiser party at Radio City Music Hall, with performances by Bon Jovi and Aretha Franklin. When Ronald Reagan turned 70, his wife Nancy surprised him with a party in the East Room that was attended by Frank Sinatra and other Hollywood friends.
And of course at John F. Kennedy’s 45th birthday party fundraiser at Madison Square Garden, Marilyn Monroe famously serenaded him with “Happy Birthday.”