Disorganized presidency makes for mixed 100 days

Franklin D. Roosevelt's historic response to the Great Depression created the concept of the first 100 days by enacting an extraordinary array of corrective measures. The 100-day mark got less attention until Ronald Reagan met economic woes a half-century later with a very different agenda reducing the scale of government.

But more recent presidencies counter the concept that a chief executive's first 100 days set the tone for his entire tenure.

Nothing in George W. Bush's first 100 days hinted at the way terrorism would dominate his administration. Even the partisan resistance to Barack Obama's economic stimulus failed to foretell how bitter divisions over health-care policy would persist throughout his presidency.

In recent weeks, Donald Trump has adopted a multistep approach to the inevitable 100-day judgments. He both claimed "no administration has accomplished more" and derided the concept as a "ridiculous standard." His White House staff simultaneously pushed to pass Trump initiatives and waged damage control against the prospect his poor poll numbers presaged primarily negative assessments.

At best, Trump's record is mixed. After squandering chances for a fast start, there are signs this unconventional administration is stabilizing, as Saturday's 100-day mark nears. But prospects remain uncertain for his prime legislative goals, and even some backers want the president to temper his aggressive style.

Trump achieved one clear, significant success by installing conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch on the Supreme Court. He revoked executive orders considered anti-business and issued others aimed at spurring growth; he reversed Obama's policies on many issues from climate change to voting rights.

Trump signed two dozen bills. But the Republican-controlled House failed to pass the bill repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, and his proposals to cut personal and corporate taxes face significant problems.

He abandoned his high-profile campaign promises to tear up the nuclear treaty with Iran, make Mexico pay for his cherished anti-immigration wall, label China a currency manipulator and scrap the Export-Import Bank.

Trump's problems stem from three main factors.

A disorganized presidency: Unknowledgeable about government himself, Trump has been ill-served by the inevitable infighting stemming from his creation of rival power centers and the errors of an inexperienced staff.

An ultra-political presidency: Choosing to govern as an ardent conservative, rather than a populist, Trump has repeatedly denigrated political opponents, rather than seeking alliances in areas like infrastructure rebuilding where many Democrats would support him. His refusal to reach out to Democrats has exacerbated partisanship and forced him to rely on a divided Republican Party in Congress. Some foreign policy statements confused U.S. allies, though he has encouraged them lately by retreating from campaign criticism of NATO as "obsolete" and taking a tougher stance toward Russian expansionism.

Unique personal aspects of his presidency: Fallout from three investigations into possible Trump campaign ties with Russia led to several distractions, including his first national security adviser's forced resignation and his ill-considered accusation of surveillance by Obama, a charge knowledgeable Republicans and Democrats labeled unproven.

Further distractions include his persistent, often factually false tweeting on everything from the Academy Awards to foreign elections, his continued refusal to release his tax returns while seeking tax reform legislation, his fixation with the size of his 2016 victory, and ethical questions raised by his family's continued high-profile business activities. Among them: his proclivity for publicizing his eponymous resorts, notably Mar-a-Lago in Florida, while heading out for some golfing, for which he often berated Obama.

Trump's ultimate presidential record will be determined less by his handling of his first 100 days than whether he makes enough corrections to achieve his main campaign promises. How he reacts to the unexpected crises all presidents eventually confront will also prove crucial.

At home, his vows to create 25 million jobs, revive American manufacturing and double the country's lagging economic growth record are heavily dependent on passing legislation to simplify the tax code, cut business levies and spur infrastructure repairs.

Abroad, he has pledged that more assertive leadership stressing American interests will strengthen U.S. alliances and curb the terrorist threat by destroying ISIS.

In time, historians will judge whether Trump's first 100 days foretold his ultimate success or failure or were overshadowed by the events of the next 1,361.

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