Kast’s honeymoon period is over, as soaring energy prices and issues with his flagship security policy have tanked his ratings. The right-wing leader is seeking a reset: in a bid to get the ball rolling on his security agenda, which he felt was moving too slowly, Kast pledged on Monday to intervene in 50 neighborhoods with high levels of criminal activity. But that’s not the only issue he faces. Voters don’t see any discernible difference in his immigration policy, even though he said on the campaign trail that he would rapidly deport undocumented migrants, and the economic outlook looks dark amid surging inflation and unemployment. Kast, it appears, has his work cut out.
Hard Numbers
Kast’s honeymoon is over
Natalie Johnson
By Zac WeiszJune 05, 2026
Zac Weisz
Zac reports on global affairs, covering everything from elections and international relations, to conflicts in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. With the Trump administration keen to alter the world order, though, there’s a heavy emphasis right now on US politics – an area with which he is intimately familiar. He also reports on the cross-section between sports and geopolitics. Prior to joining GZERO, Zac was a senior national politics correspondent at National Journal, where he covered the 2024 presidential election from its inception to the dramatic finish, as well as major congressional actions during the Biden administration. Prior to journalism, Zac worked as an economic analyst for Oxford Economics, calculating the impact of various tax policies, as well as the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union. Born in London, he currently resides in New York City, where you can find him playing football (the original version) or watching it on television while attempting to cook up a storm.
