Donald Trump looked infallible when, amid his impeachment trial and an unfolding Iran crisis, his approval ratings soared to the highest they have ever been.
Although his term has been characterised by controversy things had started to come to a head at the start of the year, when criticism of his presidency was never far away.
Two counts of impeachment were put forward by the House of Representatives that alleged he had solicited foreign interference to help his re-election bid.
Shortly after, tensions with Iran threatened to overspill demonstrating an unnerving willingness to destabilise global peace.
Approval ratings
But come February 23rd, a Gallup poll gave Trump his first net positive approval rating since January 2017.
An average of popularity polls showed the president’s approval had been rising since September, when impeachment proceedings began.
A CBS News poll conducted shortly after said 65 per cent of Americans think Trump will win re-election in a tight race against the eventual Democratic nominee.
In Wisconsin, which is considered a key state for the Democrats if they are to stand a chance of winning the election, Trump’s approval stood at 51 per cent, showing they have a significant tide to turn.
Coronavirus crisis
But coronavirus could prove to be the chink in president’s armor.
After displaying a laissez-faire attitude to the deadly virus, he is now warning the country’s death rate is close to ‘horrific point’ as one of the country’s top doctors said the nation should brace for levels of tragedy reminiscent of the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the 9/11 attacks.
The latest updates show the US is now recording more daily deaths than any country in the world since outbreaks began, and could have the highest total death toll globally within a week.
Most worryingly, the curve is notably steeper than other nations.
How does that look cumulatively?
— John Burn-Murdoch (@jburnmurdoch) April 5, 2020
• US death toll has now passed Italy’s, and is on a much steeper slope than Italy was at this stage
• US could have the highest total death toll globally within a week
All charts: https://t.co/JxVd2cG7KI pic.twitter.com/KrdsGVYP6C
Spiral out of control
The latest graphs demonstrate a very real threat that the crisis could soon spiral out of control in the US, and if that happens the country’s president could find that his moment of reckoning has arrived.
Related: Boris Johnson remains ‘very much in charge’, says minister
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