The White House is reportedly signaling a shift from optimistic denial to cautious concern as midterm elections loom, with aides privately acknowledging the dire national polling for Donald Trump and contemplating the potential loss of both House and Senate majorities.
Despite President Trump’s outward confidence that Republicans can still defy expectations, internal sentiment suggests a starkly different reality. One seasoned operative, who accurately predicted Trump's 2024 victory, bluntly stated, "Oh, yeah, we're going to get creamed." This sentiment echoes troubling national polls, with Trump's approval rating hitting a historic low of 37 percent in a recent Wall Street Journal poll, the weakest for any president heading into midterms since 1990.
To navigate the challenging political landscape, Trump’s team has pivoted to seeking foreign policy wins to energize the MAGA base. This has led to swift agreements, such as enhanced U.S. troop presence in Greenland, though short of Trump's desired full takeover. An announced oil deal with Venezuela also faces hurdles, as its 100-year concession plan clashes with Venezuelan law.
However, voters appear more focused on domestic issues like soaring gas and grocery prices, with diesel hitting record highs and gas averaging $4.43 per gallon. Trump’s stance on tech issues like AI regulation also diverges from public opinion, further complicating his election strategy.
With slimmer election chances, the White House is now heavily focused on preparing for an onslaught of Democratic subpoenas post-midterms. The strategy appears to center on leveraging executive privilege and attorney-client protections, bolstered by a Supreme Court ruling affirming the confidentiality of presidential deliberations. The administration is also reportedly counting on a unique legal network, where former personal lawyers now hold government positions, to shield aides from investigations, drawing parallels to past instances where testimonies were delayed until after a president left office.
While the midterms may conclude for most Americans on November 3rd, for the Trump White House, the real battles appear to be just beginning.
