By Matt Spetalnick and Nandita Bose

WASHINGTON, June 10 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump is trying to project political strength as he turns 80, but setbacks at home and abroad are exposing the limits of his power and pushing him toward the kind of lame-duck status he has told aides he is determined to avoid.

Nearly ‌17 months into his second term, the courts are pushing back, his effort to wind down the Iran war has stalled, and his approval ratings have weakened. Some fellow Republicans in Congress are also defying him - though his hold on core supporters remains firm.

Still, Trump has shown he retains significant clout: he has helped oust Republican incumbents in primary races and has pressed ahead with aggressive trade policies. He ‌has also pursued high-profile construction projects in Washington in one of the most ambitious building drives by a U.S. president in ⁠years.

This dynamic is unfolding just months ahead of November’s midterm elections as Trump's Republican Party scrambles to maintain control of Congress. The ⁠loss of one or both chambers to ⁠opposition Democrats could hasten his slide into a lame-duck phase, historically when a president - if barred from running again - sees influence waning and domestic priorities stymied.

The White House ‌is trying to prevent that narrative from taking hold prematurely and has been forceful about letting Republican lawmakers know Trump can still make or break them, according to a presidential ⁠adviser, who spoke on........

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