Trump’s wishes vs. reality

Donald Trump‘s political brand has rested on the promise that he can disrupt Washington bureaucracy and deliver results. His influence has also depended on his ability to keep Republican lawmakers aligned behind his priorities and convince voters that he can impose his agenda where other politicians fail.

That advantage depends on turning demands into outcomes. Recently, however, Trump has faced a series of incidents where that ability appears to be weakening.

The clearest examples have come from the courts. Recently, a federal judge halted Trump’s effort to create a federal voter list through executive action, ruling that the administration likely exceeded its authority. Another court blocked the administration’s attempt to use federal immigration data to verify voter eligibility. Federal appeals courts also rejected or dismissed Trump’s efforts to force Michigan and Pennsylvania, respectively, to hand over their voter rolls.