Former President Donald Trump has faced a challenging week following what appeared to be a second assassination attempt on Sunday, complicating his presidential reelection efforts.
On Wednesday, Vice President Kamala Harris gained momentum when the Federal Reserve announced a half-percentage point cut in the benchmark interest rate—the first since 2020. This move is seen as a sign of a “soft landing” for the economy, potentially boosting her campaign.
Just last month, the Trump campaign had hinted at a looming “Kamala crash” following a short-lived dip in the stock market. However, stocks surged to an all-time high by Thursday, countering claims from Trump and other Republicans that President Joe Biden and Harris had “destroyed” the economy.
The same day, CNN reported a scandal involving Mark Robinson, a Trump-endorsed candidate for North Carolina governor, who had previously made controversial statements about race and slavery on a pornographic site. Robinson remains in the race, which could complicate Trump’s chances in this key battleground state.
In Michigan, a judge ruled that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will stay on the ballot, despite his endorsement of Trump, raising concerns about acting as a “spoiler” for the former president. Additionally, Trump’s appeal to House Republicans for a government funding bill containing stricter voter registration rules faced pushback, leading to uncertainty with a potential government shutdown looming on October 1.
The House Speaker’s efforts to pass a Trump-supported resolution were thwarted, expected to face further rejection in the Democrat-controlled Senate. Meanwhile, polling data this week showed Trump losing ground to Harris, particularly following perceptions of a lackluster performance in the recent presidential debate.
Surveys from Florida Atlantic University and The Economist/YouGov indicate Harris holding a significant lead over Trump, the largest seen to date. However, Trump did receive some good news: the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, traditionally a Democratic ally, decided against endorsing any candidate this election cycle.
Interestingly, despite the tumultuous events, both Trump and Harris received bipartisan support following the assassination attempt, with public condemnations from both sides of the aisle.