Intense Opposition

Nearly half of Americans strongly oppose the job Trump is doing. [Protest outside the white house]( Samuel Corum/AFP via Getty Images The Bottom Line: Banking On The Economy As the country [erupts in protests]( over police brutality and racism, two-thirds of Americans think President Trump has increased racial tensions in the U.S., according to a new [NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll](. Trump has [threatened the use of military force]( against violent rioters, who are outnumbered by peaceful protesters. A tweet of his that included the civil rights-era phrase "[when the looting starts, the shooting starts]( was flagged by Twitter as [violating its policy]( against "glorifying violence. Americans disagree with his view of the demonstrators – most think they’re legitimate protests rather than people acting unlawfully. And the poll found Trump’s approval rating had ticked down to 41% with his disapproval rating, 55%, near the highest of his presidency. Beneath the surface is where the numbers get interesting. The intensity of opposition to this president is at heights never seen before against any president. Nearly half the country – 47% -- say they strongly oppose the job Trump is doing. And he’s suffering politically because of it all. In a head-to-head general-election matchup with former Vice President Joe Biden, Trump is trailing 50% to 43%. That’s why Trump is banking on the economy recovering and carrying him through November. And it’s why Trump [touted Friday’s jobs report]( on camera, which showed a lower-than-expected unemployment rate in May. He even argued that a strong economy was "greatest thing that could happen for race relations." Trump has to hope for a speedy recovery, because much of the cake is already baked when it comes to views of this president. — Domenico Montanaro, NPR’s senior political editor/correspondent [Read more]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [North Carolina Health Secretary]( Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images Politics Roundup: The Protests Continue Barr defends response to protests: Attorney General William Barr [defended his decision]( drive protesters back from a park near the White House, saying demonstrators were “becoming increasingly unruly.” Barr had sent an[FBI hostage rescue team]( to the nation’s capital to “maximize” the presence of federal law enforcement. Key political players rebuke Trump: A number of high-profile voices, including Republicans, have criticized the White House’s handling of the protests. - Former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis[accused Trump of dividing the country]( and warned against a militarized response to the protests. - Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski says she’s [not sure she can support]( Trump’s reelection. - Her Maine counterpart, Sen. Susan Collins, also [denounced the administration’s response]( and did not attend Trump’s visit to her home state. - Former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Martin Dempsey implored his fellow retired generals to [keep their personal political views private](. Obama talks hope and change: In a [virtual town hall]( former President Barack Obama praised young demonstrators, who he said gave him hope the country will get better. He didn’t mention President Trump by name and said most of the changes needed for safer policing will have to happen at the local level. Viral protest disinformation: A well-funded and [elaborate social media manipulation campaign]( played out online Sunday night, showing how polarization creates situations where lies spread like wildfire. Just what is the Insurrection Act?: President Trump has threatened to take military action in cities if violent demonstrations aren’t quelled. To do that, he’d have to invoke a [213-year-old law]( to “call forth the militia for the purpose of suppression” an insurrection. It was last invoked in 1992 to stop the Los Angeles riots after the acquittal of police officers in the beating of Rodney King. House Democrats push for policing reform: Members of the Congressional Black Caucus are pushing a [wide range of proposals]( including banning chokeholds and addressing racial profiling, as a response to the protests across the country following the killing of George Floyd. — Barbara Sprunt, NPR Politics producer --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- [Campaign finance tracker]( Andrew Harnik/AP ICYMI: Top Stories Steve King loses primary: After years of racist comments that lost him the support of most in the Republican Party, [Iowa Rep. Steve King lost his bid for reelection]( this week in a primary race. But state Sen. Randy Feenstra, who defeated King in the primary, didn’t focus on his offensive remarks, instead arguing King was unable to effectively represent his constituents after losing his committee seats in the House. Senate GOP begins new investigations: As the coronavirus pandemic continues and protests against police brutality sweep the nation, Senate Republicans are pursuing a new political strategy: [investigations of the Obama administration]( and former Vice President Joe Biden. This week the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing with [former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein]( who said that while he now disagreed with the decision to surveil a former Trump campaign aide, he stands by the special counsel’s investigation and the findings of the Mueller report. Biden meets with black faith leaders: In his first in-person campaign event in over two months, former Vice President Joe Biden [met with black community and faith leaders]( as protests following the police killing of George Floyd erupted across the country. Biden spent more than half of the event listening to the leaders and was observed taking notes as each attendee spoke. Coronavirus testing czar departing: Adm. Brett Giroir, the man in charge of the federal government’s coronavirus testing efforts, announced this week [he would be "demobilized"]( from his role and returning to his regular job at the Department of Health and Human Services. An HHS spokesperson said there are no plans to appoint a new "head of efforts" for coronavirus testing. Primaries show voting issues: Proponents of mail-in voting said long voting lines and a reduced number of polling places for Tuesday's primaries showed there were lessons to be learned for November, when millions more voters are expected to use absentee ballots. NPR’s Pam Fessler reported on [a House hearing on voting rights]( where experts push for more absentee voting access. Hackers target Trump, Biden campaigns: Google has confirmed that [Chinese-backed hackers were observed]( targeting former Vice President Joe Biden's campaign staff and Iranian-backed hackers targeted staffers on President Trump's campaign. Both were targeted with phishing attacks, and the company said neither attack appeared successful. — Brandon Carter, NPR Politics social media producer --------------------------------------------------------------- Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP Going Deeper Sharing important work from our colleagues across the newsroom as they unpack how the country is currently grappling with racism and the history that led to this moment: NPR’s Code Switch team [explored the question]( “How much do we need the police?” with author Alex S. Vitale this week. NPR’s Throughline podcast [dove into the origins of American policing and violence against black Americans](. NPR’s Sam Sanders of It’s Been A Minute [discusses being a black parent]( with a guest in his latest episode. In addition, NPR has curated a podcast playlist to amplify conversations about law enforcement, racial injustice, and the black American experience. You can stream this playlist via [Spotify]( and [NPR One](. Follow NPR.org’s coverage of the protests for racial justice [here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- [Possible VP picks]( Credit: Renee Klahr/NPR The Shot: Voting Q&A We asked readers for their questions about how voting is changing this year due to the coronavirus. NPR reporter Miles Parks has a detailed explanation of [the controversy around mail-in voting]( and a video with other key questions including the security of online voting and whether Election Day could be rescheduled. [Watch the video]( What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [nprpolitics@npr.org](mailto:nprpolitics@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Daily News, Code Switch, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Politics emails. 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