President Trump has spent the past four days consumed by topics far removed from the kitchen-table concerns of most voters: discussing sniper placements and drone technology for a triumphal arch he envisions at the Capitol's entrance, barring three news organizations from the White House over their coverage, and reviewing documents aboard Air Force One that appeared to outline the demolition of the Kennedy Center.
These diversions are unsettling Republicans who fear the party is squandering its chance to persuade voters it is tackling the economy and inflation—the issues that dominate polling as the Senate map expands and anxiety grows over losing the House majority.
“The guy was elected in 2016 off the phrase ‘build the wall,’ so I don’t think it’s a surprise to many Americans that building things is a passion of his,” said a Republican close to the White House. “The main problem the president and the party have is that national renovations aren’t controversial, but when the American people don’t have the money to renovate their own backyards, they aren’t going to love or care about the renovations the president is passionate about.”
Some Republicans see Trump's moves as a way to energize his base for midterm turnout. “I think it solidifies things in the minds of people that love Trump, and I think it solidifies things in the minds of people that hate Trump,” said one GOP strategist, speaking anonymously.
Republican strategist Ford O’Connell argued that Trump’s “flood the zone” approach can throw Democrats off balance. “It’s great because it causes Democrats to use up all of their energy, and a lot of times get distracted,” O’Connell said. “He gets them hopping around. He floods the zone then Democrats jump the shark and then they lose their own messaging.”
But critics counter that the steady stream of sensational headlines—while possibly overshadowing other news—does little to aid the GOP weeks before the midterms. “It’s all undisciplined nonsense that further reminds voters he’s not focused on the one job he had. To reduce the cost of living,” said Rob Stutzman, a Republican strategist.
A second Republican strategist warned that Democrats will exploit Trump’s fixation on issues like the press ban to knock Republican candidates off message. “The candidates take the [Democrats’] bait because they’re going to keep that fodder going, and it gets them off message,” the strategist said. “It’s candidate discipline at its worst right now.”
Strategists acknowledge that most voters don’t track daily Beltway news, but they say Trump’s focus on the Kennedy Center and triumphal arch gives the impression the White House is ignoring top priorities like the economy. “If those people are paying attention, it doesn’t give them the impression that the White House and Republicans are focused on the issue that does matter to them most,” the second unnamed strategist said. “That’s the real danger. Even if this isn’t a driving issue for them, anything that makes them feel like the eyeballs and the attention are in a place where they shouldn’t be is problematic.”
Meanwhile, gas and diesel prices continue to climb and inflation shows no sign of easing. The national average for gasoline stood at $4.47 per gallon on Monday, while diesel hit $6.51, according to AAA. Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh last week announced a quarter-point interest rate hike to combat inflation.
Trump’s allies insist he and Republican candidates can “walk and chew gum at the same time” on the economy and other issues. “President Trump cut taxes, lowered prescription drug costs, and lessened the financial burden placed on working families by reckless Democrats,” said Natalie Baldassarre, press secretary at the Republican National Committee. “Our candidates will continue to highlight all of the Administration’s achievements on the campaign trail.”
In Iowa, where rising gas and diesel prices hit the agriculture sector hard, incumbents and candidates are sounding the alarm. “Iowans are being squeezed and shouldn’t have to foot the bill at the pump or the checkout line for the war in Iran. We need to use every option at our disposal to provide some relief from high prices,” Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa) wrote on X, calling for a gas tax suspension, a pause on diesel exports, and greater use of E-15 fuel. Rep. Zach Nunn (R-Iowa) also demanded lower diesel prices, advocating for domestic energy sales first and passage of his biofuel legislation. Both face toss-up races.
Some Republicans are urging candidates in competitive districts to run their own races, independent of Washington’s noise. “This is why any strategist worth their weight tells you, you need to run your race in your district even if you’re running for a federal office, you need to be talking to your voters at home about what’s going on there,” the second unnamed GOP strategist said. “If you can’t handle a level of question about everything that’s going on in D.C., and bring it back to an affordability argument about how you as a candidate even in this will be able to deliver, you shouldn’t be running.”
As the midterms approach, the tension between Trump’s penchant for spectacle and his party’s economic message is likely to intensify. For now, Republicans are left hoping voters focus on their pocketbooks—not the president’s construction projects or his escalating war with the press.
