Longtime CNN host and nationally syndicated radio personality Michael Smerconish offered rare praise for President Donald Trump, stating that the president is “on a roll” following a series of domestic and foreign policy successes in the early months of his second term.
“The first five months of Trump 2.0, they’re in the books,” Smerconish said during a monologue. “I’m not shy about voicing my disagreement with President Trump… but viewed objectively, I have to say that Donald Trump has just had the best week or best 10 days of his second term.”
Smerconish, typically known for his centrist and often critical views, acknowledged the effectiveness of the recent airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites. “I had doubts about the need for strikes,” he said, “but the mission was carried out with stealth and precision. There were no American casualties.” He added that the operation appears to have at least temporarily derailed Iran’s nuclear ambitions and demonstrated U.S. strength to adversaries.
He also praised Trump’s performance at the NATO summit in the Netherlands, where the president secured commitments from member nations to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP—a substantial shift in alliance policy.
Domestically, Smerconish cited recent progress on trade. “Trump claimed that he’s reached a trade deal with China and soon expects one with India,” he noted, referencing statements from Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and China’s Commerce Ministry.
He also pointed to economic recovery, saying that early-term tariffs may have rattled markets, but indices like the S&P 500 and Nasdaq have since hit record highs. Inflation is down to 2.4% from a peak of 7%, while blue-collar wage growth has risen 1.7%—the largest such increase in nearly 70 years.
Smerconish further mentioned the Trump-backed “Big Beautiful Bill,” now advancing in the Senate, and highlighted a 93% drop in border crossings, calling the president’s immigration measures both effective and surprisingly popular among Latino voters.
