1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

The country has moved away from Trump faster than Republican leaders have. An Economist/YouGov poll reached the same 33 percent approval figure. Only 17 percent of Americans strongly approve of Trump’s performance. Among Republicans who do not identify with MAGA, his approval has fallen from 90 percent at the beginning of his second term to 51 percent. His decline is tied to the distance between the life Trump promised and the one Americans are living. He pledged lower prices and peace. His tariffs raised costs, while his war with Iran disrupted oil shipments and helped send gasoline prices higher. Trump recently told Americans that paying “a tiny little bit more” for gas was worth it. Families struggling to afford groceries and electricity are unlikely to consider the increase “tiny.” A red hat cannot make that math disappear. Trump still controls the executive branch and most of the Republican Party, and he can do tremendous damage. Yet his image of invincibility has always depended on millions of people reinforcing it for one another. Every supporter who puts away the hat makes it easier for somebody else to speak honestly, and every elected Republican who notices the change loses another excuse for acting powerless. MAGA still controls the Republican Party, but beyond its walls, the brand is going out of business.