Ex-Clinton Adviser Reveals Exactly How Trump Fell Into A 'Trap' In First 100 Days

Doug Sosnik, a senior adviser to former President Bill Clinton, explained how the first 100 days of Donald Trump’s second term could be a “prelude to a historically unpopular presidency.”

“Mr. Trump has fallen into the trap — common for newly elected presidents — of not understanding the difference between the spectacle of campaigning and the work of successful governing,” Sosnik wrote in an op-ed published Monday in The New York Times.

Sosnik described round two of Trump’s first 100 days — which end next week — as the “most consequential” of any president in modern history following his dismantling of the federal government, undoing of post-World War II alliances and his approach to trade.

“But a consequential start does not in any way equate to long-term success,” Sosnik wrote.

“Mr. Trump’s approval ratings are already falling, and if past presidencies are any guide, the worst is yet to come.”

Trump, as was the case in his first term, is the only president in modern history to have a net negative approval rating at this point in his presidency, Sosnik noted. He added that the figure could only worsen as Americans “begin to feel the pain of his policies.”

By early September, Trump’s post-honeymoon period approval rating will be a “more accurate picture” of his popularity, according to Sosnik.

He argued that the president is “overreading the mandate” from voters who backed him in November, a move that makes him “even more politically vulnerable” considering the GOP-led Congress has let him proceed with extreme appointments and policy rollouts.

“The failure to properly plan and execute policy has defined his second term, epitomized by the shambolic rollout of his immigration and tariff initiatives and the so-called Department of Government Efficiency,” Sosnik stressed.

“The uncertainty created by Mr. Trump’s chaotic style of governing has also made it impossible for companies to make investment decisions.”

He continued, “These factors are likely to weigh heavily on Mr. Trump in the coming months, given his low ceiling of support, as well as the size and intensity of his opposition.”