Trump losing ground after 'aggressive first year back' begins to wither: analysis

Donald Trump appears to be losing ground so soon into his second year as a political analyst identifies a tough road ahead for the president.

Domestic and foreign policy trouble are at the heart of these shortcomings for Trump, with CNN's Stephen Collinson believing the fearsome first year of the president is starting to erode. He wrote, "'Sometimes you need a dictator' he said last week in Davos, Switzerland, days after suggesting to Reuters that 'we shouldn’t even have an election' ahead of November’s midterms.

"After his aggressive first year back in office, such supposed jokes don’t seem that funny. But the frenetic first weeks of the new year have also demonstrated that Trump will not have everything his own way.

"His domestic adversaries and foreign powers get a say — especially if they band together in coalitions. The normal counter-reactions set off when presidents splash their political capital still apply. If a trickle of pushback becomes a torrent, then Trump will end up being far less feared."

Trump's administration has seen domestic and international pushbacks, with a recent shooting in Minneapolis leaving Alex Pretti dead during a protest against ICE and Border Patrol activities.

Internationally, Trump faced the wrath of NATO members due to continuing rhetoric on Greenland, but both instances show Trump will change policy should pressure be great enough.

Collinson wrote, "Trump’s change of tack is unlikely to have happened without a crescendo of public fury, resistance by local officials and growing concern among Republicans and some administration officials.

"Trump’s critics have long expressed rightful concern about his frequent attempts to stretch the limits of his office.

But the showdown in Minnesota also showed that the Constitution remains a vibrant playbook Americans can use to challenge his perceived abuses and to formulate effective positions of resistance."

Trump's comments in the wider world could have a longer-term impact on the United States too, with Collinson believing the continued push for Greenland will actually weaken the US.

He wrote, "One immediate consequence is that once-friendly allies have started to look elsewhere for partnerships in a way that could backfire for the president. Canada, for instance, is considering an electric vehicles pact with US arch-foe China, which would be a great loss for the US auto industry.

"The ambitions of a president who tried to steal an election in 2020 to stay in power should never be underestimated. Dangerous disruption and societal conflict almost certainly lie ahead.

But a turbulent first month of 2026 shows that the narrative of Trump as an untouchable strongman leader impervious to all restraint is not yet baked in."