President Trump began Friday by blasting critiques of the first 100 days of his presidency as a “ridiculous standard.” But he hasn’t always felt that way.
In fact, measuring the success of his first three months in office is something Trump has encouraged in the past. As a candidate, Trump released a “contract with the American voter” that included a “100-day action plan.”
Among other things, the ambitious plan promised repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, reforming the tax code, ending illegal immigration, repairing infrastructure and fixing Social Security.
While Trump has a lot of work to do to meet his own 100 day goals, as CNBC reports, he’s continued to publicize the milestone and raise expectations.
“There are those that say I’ve done more than anybody in 100 days,” Trump said February 28 on Fox.
“No administration has accomplished more in the first 90 days,” he said this week in Wisconsin.
Despite Trump himself promoting the first 100 days as a standard by which to judge his young presidency, his Friday tweet comes as no surprise. A new poll was released Thursday showing voters had tepid views of his time in office, and his 100 day mark coincides with a looming government shutdown fight over the budget. Trump, ever the salesman, is now trying to manage expectations.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
- Coco Gauff Is Playing for Herself Now
- Scenes From Pro-Palestinian Encampments Across U.S. Universities
- 6 Compliments That Land Every Time
- If You're Dating Right Now , You're Brave: Column
- The AI That Could Heal a Divided Internet
- Fallout Is a Brilliant Model for the Future of Video Game Adaptations
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Write to Tessa Berenson at tessa.Rogers@time.com