In all the commotion, many voters may have missed the administration’s rapid success on the border. President Trump’s tough talk, the immediate expulsion of illegal aliens, and White House border tsar Tom Homan’s enforcement actions have clearly begun to remedy what was an unmitigated disaster. An estimated 10.7 million illegal immigrants crossed the southern border into the US during the Biden administration. That’s roughly 7,324 a day.
Mr Homan reported Tuesday that Border Patrol encounters on the southern border dropped 85 per cent in January after Mr. Trump’s inauguration compared with the same period in 2024. On Feb. 16, the Border Patrol encountered 229 illegal aliens at the border — only 3 per cent of the average daily number under the Biden administration.
Success tends to beget more success, and this was one of the big three issues in the 2024 election; a win here is important. But to make a strong impression with Americans, the president should be involved in a high-profile way. Mr Trump surely enjoyed hurtling around the curves at the Daytona 500 Sunday. But maybe he should visit with state and local officials on the southwest border to celebrate Mr. Homan’s success. Lots can go wrong in a presidency; why not take credit for what’s going right?
It’s especially important to take a victory lap now since other administration efforts haven’t yet proved themselves to Americans. Yes, the Department of Government Efficiency appears to be shaking things up and shrinking the federal workforce, but will it save the promised trillions and result in less inefficiency, waste and fraud? And how exactly will slapping a 20 per cent tax on imports bring prices down for American consumers? Voters want the president to explain how his actions will make their lives better.
Then there’s the issue that could decide this president’s fate in history — Ukraine. A Russian victory could send Mr. Trump’s approval numbers further south than the debacle in Afghanistan drove Joe Biden’s. The ripple effects would be global. The Chinese might be emboldened to take Taiwan. Russia might begin menacing Central Europe and the Baltic States. Europe would be under pressure to buy Russian rather than American natural gas. North Korea and Iran could step up their dangerous mischief making.
It looks messy. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth suggested needless concessions before negotiations began, then walked them back after Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security adviser Michael Waltz showed up to remind everyone they had the foreign-policy lead. Mr Trump got into the concession game, suggesting Russia could return to the Group of Seven and that Ukraine would never be allowed into the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation or recover all its territory. On Wednesday he put more rhetorical pressure on Kyiv, seemingly blaming Ukraine for starting the war, calling President Volodymyr Zelensky a dictator for not holding elections during wartime, and accusing Ukraine of misappropriating US aid.
Mr Putin is throwing his weight around, apparently refusing to talk to Keith Kellogg, Mr. Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Steve Witkoff, Mr. Trump’s Middle East envoy, has been in Mr. Kellogg’s seat at the US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia. If Mr. Putin objected to Mr. Kellogg, it’s because the Russian dictator fears able adversaries. More reason for Mr. Trump to rely on Mr. Kellogg’s counsel.
Still, it’s possible the author of “The Art of the Deal” is lulling Mr. Putin while setting him up for a great fall. Maybe Mr. Trump has thought a dozen moves ahead and has Mr. Putin right where he wants him.
Consider Mr. Trump’s proposal to Mr. Zelensky, whereby the US would get an interest in Ukraine’s mineral wealth. Mr Zelensky rightly rejected the first draft as too one-sided. But it would scare the pants off Mr. Putin if Ukraine and the US came to a mutually acceptable deal. Such a lend-lease agreement would guarantee continued US military support of Kyiv.
A lot is riding on how the Russian invasion of Ukraine ends. At stake are the freedom of some 38 million Ukrainians, global peace and security, restoration of America’s reputation for strength and Mr. Trump’s status as the world’s ultimate deal maker, as well as his standing at home. Beijing, Tehran and Pyongyang are watching how Mr. Trump deals with Moscow. Let’s hope they conclude there’s a tough new power-broker in town with whom they shouldn’t mess.
Mr Rove helped organise the political-action committee American Crossroads and is author of “The Triumph of William McKinley” (Simon & Schuster, 2015).
The Wall St Journal
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