Democratic Rep. Katherine Clark attempted to assure CNN viewers on Monday that her party is successfully opposing President Donald Trump, despite polling that shows most Democrat voters disagree. A CNN/SSRS poll found that 73% of Democrat-leaning voters believe their congressional leaders are doing too little to oppose Trump, with only 22% believing their response has been appropriate.
During an interview with CNN’s Sara Sidner, Clark claimed that Democrats are using the court system to stop Trump’s policies and holding Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency accountable. Clark insisted that lawsuits were the “first line of defense” and boasted that over 78 cases have already been filed in an attempt to block Trump’s agenda.
Clark also urged a small group of House Republicans to side with Democrats, arguing that the GOP’s slim majority in the House could be overturned if just three Republicans joined the opposition. She accused the GOP of stealing tax dollars and handing them over to billionaires, despite recent polling showing that most Republican voters support Musk’s government efficiency efforts.
While Clark attempted to portray Democrats as effectively pushing back against Trump, they have had little success in stopping his policies. A Feb. 17 report from the Department of Government Efficiency revealed that $55 billion in federal spending has already been cut through mass layoffs and the dismantling of USAID, which had been funding left-wing causes like sex change operations in Guatemala.
Despite lawsuits filed by 14 Democratic attorneys general, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan denied their request to block the agency, ruling that it had not caused any imminent, irreparable harm. Meanwhile, Trump’s approval rating has surged to 53%, with 70% of Americans believing he is keeping his campaign promises, according to a CBS News/YouGov poll.
As Democrats struggle to present a united front against Trump, frustration among their voters continues to grow. Clark’s insistence that legal challenges will stop Trump’s agenda does not align with the reality that most of these cases have failed. With Trump gaining support and his policies moving forward, Democrats face increasing pressure to find new strategies to challenge his administration.
