The 2026 midterm election is 645 days from now, but it seems an eon away. The 2028 presidential election 1,380 days from now feels almost entirely abstract. For better or worse, there’s nothing more relevant in politics right now than what President Trump says, does, actually intends to do, or might do. He seems omnipresent. The American political universe seems to circle around him right now. To a certain extent, so does international politics.
Over his first week, Trump has injected himself into a multitude of issues, some important, others symbolic and/or trivial—but attacking on every front. The strategy seems aimed not just to make up for the last four years but to occupy space, to displace or overshadow any critics, naysayers, or disbelievers.
Of course, many of the pressing issues of the day are a lot less cut-and-dried than they seem on cable television, talk radio, or social media. And while it is clear what Trump has said, what isn’t so apparent is what he really means or intends. This column last week noted the terrific observation of conservative
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