Robert Reich: Tide Turning Against Trump, He Says

A prominent liberal commentator argues that the tide is turning against President Donald Trump, citing a Substack essay by Robert Reich and recent events that critics have described as challenging to the president. Reich's analysis foregrounds controversies including the Jimmy Kimmel suspension and reinstatement episode and a widening pattern of pointed attacks on the press as evidence of a shift in public sentiment.

Reich frames the past week as a turning point, arguing that the actions and rhetoric from the White House have exposed a contempt for the freedom of Americans to criticize, write about, or joke about him. He points to the episodes surrounding media scrutiny and discusses how they fit into what he calls a broader pattern of political behavior that may provoke a response from voters who value democratic norms.

Reich then describes what he calls the great sleeping giant of America beginning to roar again in the face of what he terms the sociopathic occupant of the Oval Office and a presidency that he says has worsened distrust in democratic institutions. He characterizes the awakening as a response from ordinary citizens who are increasingly willing to oppose actions they view as venal or disrespectful to the common good and marked by loud, disruptive behavior.

To illustrate the mechanism of awakening, Reich cites a recurring pattern: venality, disobedience to norms that protect the common good, and brutality can become so conspicuous that the public mood shifts. He suggests that once the giant stirs, the will of the American people can pressure leadership to end policies or actions that sparked the awakening, signaling a potential shift in political dynamics.

Reich notes that his perspective is part of a broader public debate about Trump’s standing and the resilience of democratic norms and institutions, particularly as media clashes and political rhetoric continue to shape the national conversation.