Conservatives deliver rapid-fire take down of Trump’s 2025 failures and miscalculations

A panel of political experts crafted a list of the lessons Republicans should have learned in 2025.

Conservative S.E. Cupp and former Republican Maura Gillespie, former press advisor to ex-House Speaker John Boehner agreed that the biggest bungles from President Donald Trump center around the economy.

Speaking to CNN on Wednesday, Cupp said that the failures for the White House began on so-called "Liberation Day" in April, when Trump announced his trade war. She called it the "defining moment."

"That day in April, when trump decided the tariffs were going to set us all free, tariffs being done from the start, tariffs being a tax on consumers from the start. He couldn't magically change any of those economic realities. And they've had a really disastrous effect effect on on his administration and faith in it and, and on the economy, right?" Cupp said.

As a result of the economic flubs, costs have increased.

It "reduced investment in the U.S., worsened relationships with our allies," she continued. "More unemployment, higher operating costs for businesses. I mean, it goes on and on and on. And if we really believe, and I do, that, it's the economy, stupid, and will be in midterms and will be in 2028 — I think this more than anything else in his administration, is going to be determinative."

She also pointed out that the key tenants of the Republican Party have taken a back seat to Trump's agenda.

"And to have now, an entire party abandon those principles to defend what? Trump?" Cupp asked. "Trump alone has been pushing against the will of economists and Republicans and conservative think tanks and everyone who knows better. He will have to own this. And it's making life for congressional Republicans hell."

Co-host Kate Bolduan said that even the administration admits it has been a failure by promising bailouts and checks to those being hurt as a result of the tariffs. Recently, the administration promised that it would reduce tariffs on some items.

"I mean, that was a moment for me where I was like, that's the admission," said Bolduan.

"They have struggled to articulate, here's the plan and here is how it's going to work. And here's the timeline of how that's going to work — we still don't know because they just keep telling us that it's going to get better and that prices are going to come down. But that hasn't been the case," Gillespie agreed. "And so unfortunately, and at this point, it all stems from Trump's desires as a personal, strategy, not a political strategy or one that has been vetted through people who actually know how our economy works."

They went on to complain about Trump's misstep going after U.S. allies before beginning negotiations with Canada. Those allies, Gillespie said, could have been allies in going after China, but Trump bungled that.