President Donald Trump is riding high after what may be the most consequential—and successful—week of his presidency, with a cascade of victories at home and abroad that have dramatically reshaped the political narrative heading into the summer.
A blockbuster Supreme Court decision, a breakthrough NATO summit, a Middle East ceasefire still holding, a rare earth minerals deal with China, a surging stock market, and the emergence of a progressive foil in New York City have all helped Trump shift momentum his way—even as approval ratings remain mixed on key issues.
SCOTUS Ruling Hands Trump Legal Win
In a major win for the White House, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 on Friday to curb the ability of individual federal judges to issue nationwide injunctions. Trump celebrated the decision as “monumental,” viewing it as a green light to revive controversial executive actions, including his long-promised effort to end birthright citizenship.
“Even the Birthright Citizenship Hoax has been hit hard,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “This is a scam on our system and it’s going to end.”
While the ruling didn’t directly address the constitutionality of revoking citizenship by birth, it cleared the path for narrower, more targeted legal battles—likely reigniting the debate over immigration authority.
Ceasefire in Middle East Holds After U.S. Strikes
Trump’s diplomatic team touted the success of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Iran following a short but intense conflict earlier this month. American strikes, which Trump claimed had “crippled” Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, were followed by an unexpected period of calm.
Though a leaked Defense Intelligence Agency assessment cast doubt on the full extent of the damage, both the CIA and Israel’s government reported that several Iranian nuclear facilities had sustained long-term destruction.
“This was a devastating attack,” Trump said at a NATO summit in The Hague. “It knocked them for a loop.”
NATO Agrees to Trump’s Long-Sought Military Spending Hike
At the same NATO summit, Trump secured a landmark agreement from alliance members to raise defense spending targets from 2% to 5% of GDP by 2035—his most ambitious NATO ask to date, and one critics had long called unrealistic.
“Without President Trump, this never happens,” said Polish President Andrzej Duda.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb praised it as “a big win for Trump and for Europe.”
Stock Market Soars, Rare Earth Deal With China
Wall Street surged on Friday, with the S&P 500 hitting a record high as optimism grew over Trump’s fiscal and trade agenda. Key to that was a long-awaited agreement with China to resume rare earth exports vital to U.S. manufacturing.
“We just signed with China,” Trump told reporters, hailing it as a breakthrough in the two-year trade deadlock.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed the deal includes tariff reductions and restored access to Chinese industrial materials. In return, the U.S. agreed to ease certain tech restrictions on Chinese firms.
Congress Advances Controversial Fiscal Bill
Meanwhile, Trump’s sweeping “One Big Beautiful Bill” cleared major procedural hurdles in the Senate. The package, combining deep spending cuts and $4.5 trillion in tax relief, is now on track for final passage by July 4—Trump’s self-imposed deadline.
Despite criticism over its projected $3.3 trillion addition to the deficit, Republicans have rallied behind it as a defining achievement of Trump’s second term.
Progressive NYC Mayoral Candidate Becomes Trump’s New Target
Back home, the political rise of Zohran Mamdani—the democratic socialist who defeated Andrew Cuomo in New York’s mayoral primary—has handed Trump a tailor-made opponent heading into 2026.
“They’re going to run the most radical candidate in the country in the biggest city in the country,” Vice President JD Vance said Friday.
Trump has labeled Mamdani “the AOC of mayors,” calling his victory “a gift” to Republicans eager to paint Democrats as extreme.
Setbacks Mount Amidst Success
Still, not everything has gone Trump’s way.
A federal judge in New Jersey ordered the release of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian-American activist the Trump administration tried to deport over political speech. Another judge in Tennessee ruled that a Salvadoran man wrongly deported had no ties to criminal groups, undermining ICE’s case.
And while the administration claimed decisive military success in Iran, a leaked intelligence report questioned the extent of the damage, citing only partial disruption of Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
Polls Reflect Mixed Sentiment
Despite the policy wins, polling remains a concern for Trump. According to Nate Silver’s Silver Bulletin, Trump’s net approval is:
- -22.6% on inflation
- -14.7% on trade
- -13.4% on the economy
- -3.7% on immigration
Analysts say the numbers underscore Trump’s vulnerability on key kitchen-table issues—an Achilles’ heel Democrats are eager to exploit heading into 2026.
Bottom Line
From the courts to NATO to Wall Street, Trump scored a string of high-profile wins this week, cementing a narrative of momentum just as his administration enters a critical stretch. But with fierce opposition building on Capitol Hill, troubling polls, and legal battles mounting, the path forward is anything but guaranteed.
