Honestly, if you're trying to figure out how Donald Trump is doing right now, the answer depends entirely on which side of the "One Big Beautiful Bill" you’re standing on. It’s January 2026. We are officially one year into the second Trump administration, and the "honeymoon" period—if you can even call it that—has been replaced by a breakneck pace of executive orders, military maneuvers, and a massive overhaul of the federal bureaucracy.
Some people are calling it a restoration. Others are calling it a wrecking ball.
But looking past the noise, there are some very specific, very real things happening in Washington and abroad that tell the actual story of this presidency’s second act.
The Venezuela Gamble and "Operation Absolute Resolve"
The biggest headline right now? Venezuela. Just a few weeks ago, on January 3, 2026, the world woke up to the news that U.S. special forces had captured Nicolás Maduro in Caracas. It was a move called Operation Absolute Resolve. President Trump, alongside Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, announced the capture from Palm Beach, framing it not just as a victory against narco-terrorism, but as a way to "safeguard oil revenue."
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You've probably seen the mixed reactions. On one hand, the administration is moving fast to restructure Venezuela’s oil industry. On the other, experts at the Council on Foreign Relations are questioning the legal ground of the whole thing. Trump hasn't been shy about the motive, though; he’s basically said he wants the U.S. to benefit from those oil fields. It's a classic Trump move: high-stakes, military-heavy, and unapologetically transactional.
How is Trump Doing with the Economy and Your Wallet?
This is where things get a bit messy. If you ask the White House, the economy is "booming" because of the new tariffs. If you look at the recent Brookings reports or the latest Gallup polls, the public isn't so sure.
As of mid-January 2026, Trump’s approval rating on the economy is hovering around 42%. People are worried. Inflation hasn't pulled back as fast as promised, and there’s a real fear that the aggressive trade wars are keeping prices at the grocery store high.
To counter this, Trump just unveiled "The Great Healthcare Plan" on January 15. The pitch is pretty wild—he’s promising to slash drug prices by 80% or 90% by letting people buy directly through a new portal called Trumprx.gov. He’s also talking about sending money directly to patients' healthcare savings accounts instead of paying insurance companies. It’s a bold attempt to win back the middle class before the 2026 midterms, but whether it actually lowers your monthly premium remains a huge "if."
The "Whole Milk" Win
Small things matter too. Just this week, Trump signed the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act. It’s a bit of a pet project for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (who is now the HHS Secretary) and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. They’ve officially brought full-fat dairy back to school lunches. It sounds like a minor detail, but for the dairy farmers in the Midwest who helped put him back in office, it’s a massive symbolic win.
The Border: From Walls to Mass Detention
If you want to know how Trump is doing on his biggest campaign promise, look at the detention numbers. The administration is currently building what they’re calling "Alligator Alcatraz" and other massive facilities. The goal is to have over 150,000 detention beds ready.
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- At-large arrests have reportedly increased by 600% compared to previous years.
- ICE funding has hit a record $45 billion through 2029.
- Visa bans are in full effect, though they just carved out an exception for the 2026 World Cup and the Olympics so athletes can actually get into the country.
It’s an unprecedented scale of enforcement. Federal agents from the FBI and even the IRS have been redirected to help with "at-large" arrests in various communities. For his base, this is exactly what they voted for. For critics, it’s a humanitarian and legal nightmare that’s currently clogging up every federal court in the country.
The 2026 Midterm Shadow
We’re in an election year again. The 2026 midterms are looming, and the President is already working to influence how they’re run. He’s pushing for major changes in election administration, which has people like Stanford’s Nathaniel Persily worried about "chaos and uncertainty."
Trump is openly concerned that a Democrat-controlled Congress would spend two years impeaching him or blocking his "One Big Beautiful Bill" funding. So, expect the rhetoric to get even louder as we head into the summer.
What You Should Watch Next
If you’re trying to keep track of where this is going, don't just watch the tweets (or Truths). Watch these three things:
- The Trumprx.gov Rollout: If drug prices actually drop this spring, his approval ratings will likely bounce back regardless of the Venezuela controversy.
- The "Comprehensive Crime Bill": Congressional Republicans are expected to drop a massive crime package soon. This will be the next big legislative fight.
- The Gaza Peace Plan: The administration is currently pushing a 20-point roadmap for Gaza under a new "Board of Peace." If they can actually stabilize that region, it would be a massive foreign policy pivot.
The reality of how Trump is doing in 2026 is that he is moving faster than he did in 2017. He has a more loyal cabinet, a clearer plan for the federal workforce (thanks to the DOGE initiatives), and he’s not waiting for Congressional permission to act. Whether that leads to the "Greatness" he promised or a state of permanent friction is the $45 billion question.
Actionable Insight: For those tracking policy impacts, monitor the Federal Register for new Executive Orders (currently at EO 14374). If you are a business owner or traveler, keep a close eye on the "Major Sporting Events" visa exemptions, as these are currently the only reliable way to bypass the broader travel restrictions for international partners.