IS THIS TROUBLE? – AT 10:56 A.M. ET:  The president has slipped five points in the Rasmussen poll in the last ten days.  This is not good.  It's not a panic situation, but it's not good.  He had hit 50%, a headline in Drudge...and then came his call for tariffs.

I can't be sure that tariffs are the entire answer.  There's been a lot of turmoil in the White House in the last week, and the positive impact of tax cuts on paychecks was last month's news.  It's the old question in politics:  What have you done for me lately?  It's possible that a percentage of the electorate want to see something new.  From Rasmussen: 

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Thursday shows that 45% of Likely U.S. Voters approve of President Trump’s job performance. Fifty-four percent (54%) disapprove.
The latest figures include 30% who Strongly Approve of the way Trump is performing and 45% who Strongly Disapprove. This gives him a Presidential Approval Index rating of -15.

COMMENT:  This president has some terrific moments, but the pattern that's emerged shows that he then steps all over himself.  Also, if he has a terrific moment, the vast anti-Trump press gets going, and does everything it can to ruin it.

It is eight months to midterms.  Mr. Trump has to be at his best to help his party retain control of Congress.

March 8,  2018