Welcome to Friday’s edition of Washington Secrets. Today, we take our regular look at the White House week in the company of a Democratic and a Republican strategist.The week started with a familiar pattern. After promising shock and awe, President Donald Trump announced Sunday that he was canceling planned strikes on Iran so long as a deal could be struck quickly. A new round of attacks had been discussed during a Cabinet meeting on Friday, but two days later, it seemed Trump was reverting to his favored strategy of talking a big stick instead of carrying it.Trump kept up the rhetoric on Monday. He told reporters he was giving Iran “every last chance” before what he called “decapitation” and claimed that Iranian officials had called him after learning about his planned operation, saying, “Please don’t attack. We’ll make a deal.”
Meanwhile, there is still an election on. Republicans are split on how much they need Trump for the midterm elections. Some candidates have quietly indicated they would rather such an unpopular president didn’t visit their districts, while others want Trump to focus much more on pushing out economic messaging that will help candidates during a tough part of the cycle.Either way, Trump flew to his golf course just outside Los Angeles on Tuesday for a Republican National Committee roundtable and reception. Then it was on to Las Vegas so that he could spend the night in one of his own properties.The next day saw Trump entertain a rally crowd, where he hammered one of the economic successes of his second term: no tax on tips. He also used the occasion to attack Democrats, who, the day earlier, had nominated a string of progressive or socialist candidates in key election races.Back at the White House on Thursday, Trump signed two executive orders targeting birthright citizenship, including one that would outlaw what his officials call “birth tourism” and another narrowing who qualifies for citizenship. They will almost certainly face legal challenges and likely end up at the Supreme Court.Trump also hit back at reporting that the U.S. war in Iran meant supplies of missiles and other armaments were running desperately low, hence the pause on strikes, and claims that he clashed with his war secretary over the issue last week.“The Fake News, as usual, is spreading false and completely unfounded rumors. I am extremely happy with the job that Pete Hegseth is doing,” he posted on Truth Social.At the same time, more details circulated of a possible deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, giving Iran considerable power over shipping entering the waterway. Maybe peace requires offering Tehran a face-saving way out of the impasse. But can Trump accept such a compromise?Friday began poorly. The economy lost 23,000 payroll jobs in July, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported, as businesses contended with the energy supply shock from the war with Iran.So what did our two political strategists make of it?John Zogby: Grade F
