'Would you like me to leave the presidency?' Trump jokes ahead of Kennedy Center Honors broadcast

WASHINGTON, DC: Donald Trump sparked fresh controversy on Tuesday, December 23, after jokingly asking supporters whether he should abandon his second term as president to return to television hosting.

The remark came as his approval ratings remain underwater and criticism of his leadership continues to mount.

Donald Trump asks supporters if he should quit presidency for hosting career

In a Truth Social post that raised some eyebrows, Donald Trump, 79, invited the public to judge his performance as a master of ceremonies and floated the idea of walking away from the presidency altogether.

“Tell me what you think of my ‘Master of Ceremony’ abilities,” Trump wrote ahead of the televised Kennedy Center Honors ceremony, which he said he hosted earlier this month “at the request of the Board, and just about everybody else in America.”

He then followed with a line that stunned even seasoned Trump-watchers.

“If really good, would you like me to leave the presidency in order to make ‘hosting’ a full time job?” Trump added.

While framed as a joke, the post landed amid growing questions about Trump’s political standing and the turmoil that has defined his second stint in the White House.

Polls show Donald Trump’s approval rating remains deeply underwater

The timing of Trump’s comment was striking. Recent polling shows more than six in ten Americans disapprove of his performance, with his approval rating hovering around a weak 36 percent.

The president’s second term has been marred by scandals, aggressive immigration crackdowns and mounting concerns about democratic backsliding.

Critics argue that Trump’s offhand suggestion about quitting reflects anxiety about his standing rather than confidence.

It was not the first time Trump publicly measured himself against television personalities. Just weeks earlier,as a jest he suggested that failing to outshine late-night hosts could disqualify him from office.

“If I can’t beat out Jimmy Kimmel in terms of talent, then I don’t think I should be president,” Trump said at the time.

Trump defends record despite criticism of democratic erosion

Despite the polls, Trump has remained defiant about his leadership. In an 18-minute address to the nation last week, he claimed his administration had delivered unparalleled success.

“My leadership has brought more positive change to Washington than any administration in American history,” Trump declared.

That assertion has been widely disputed. Legal experts, civil rights groups, and journalists have pointed to what they describe as a steady erosion of democratic norms over the past eleven months.

The White House has faced criticism for its confrontations with the press, challenges to judicial authority, and an aggressive nationwide deportation campaign that opponents call an assault on constitutional protections.

Foreign policy and economy add to pressure on Trump White House

Trump’s foreign policy has also drawn scrutiny, with critics blaming erratic decision-making for damaging US credibility abroad. Domestically, the economy shows signs of strain under nearly every major fiscal metric.

Inflation pressures, market volatility, and widening inequality have fueled accusations that Trump’s policies benefit his inner circle more than the broader public. The president’s family and close allies have been accused of leveraging political access to further expand their already considerable wealth.

Against that backdrop, Trump’s musings about returning to his “glory days” on television struck many as tone-deaf.

When asked how the president intends to measure public response to his hypothetical exit from politics, the White House did not immediately respond.