NYT: Tense Mood in the White House Ahead of Midterms as Trump Grows More Unpredictable
The New York Times reports that US President Donald Trump is relying on an ever-narrower circle and ignoring advisers' warnings ahead of the 3 November midterm elections. Republicans face a real risk of losing control of both chambers of Congress.
The behaviour of US President Donald Trump has become more unpredictable ahead of the congressional midterm elections on 3 November, while a gloomy and nervous mood prevails in the White House. This is according to The New York Times (NYT), which cites former and current administration staff. The vote will determine whether Trump's Republican Party keeps its majority in Congress, the legislative branch of the US government.
A narrowing circle of trust
The newspaper says Trump trusts an ever-smaller group of close allies, lashes out at critics and sometimes drifts into long, chaotic monologues. One of his aides admitted that the president spends most of his time watching news segments and consuming low-quality content generated by artificial intelligence. Aides have noticed that as the election nears, he spends more time online, searching for flattering articles and videos that humiliate his opponents.
Rallies and distance from the party
Republicans face a real risk of losing control of both chambers of Congress. Many party candidates have tried to keep their distance from the president's policies and rhetoric in their campaigns. Several political advisers and influential Republican organisations have warned that Trump's rallies in swing states could now do more harm than good. Trump disregards these warnings, ignores gloomy poll results and reacts furiously to media criticism. He views the election as a vote of confidence in himself and is determined to continue rallies across the country. The current strategy focuses on traditionally Republican, or "red", states in order to achieve the highest possible voter turnout.
The stakes and consequences
Former and current staff told the paper that the White House is torn by internal disputes, staff turnover and worries about future jobs if Republicans lose their majority. Sources say recent weeks closely resemble Trump's first term, which was also marked by infighting and constant staff rotation.
If Republicans lose control of even the House of Representatives, Trump will have to reckon with much stricter oversight from Democrats. Advisers close to the White House expect the president to make further changes to his administration after the election in that case.
