Senator Daines Presses Trump on Party Feuds During Closed GOP Strategy Meeting
Sen. Steve Daines asked President Trump in a private briefing when he would stop attacking fellow Republicans and focus on the midterms.
A closed-door briefing on Republican midterm strategy turned tense when Senator Steve Daines pressed President Donald Trump’s aides on when the president would cease berating fellow GOP members and start focusing on opposing candidates. The exchange highlighted mounting frustration within the party over Trump’s continual internal battles, which contrast with the lack of attacks on vulnerable Democrats. Senate Majority Leader John Thune underscored the urgency of capturing swing voters in Maine, Michigan and North Carolina. Operatives James Blair, Alex Latcham and pollster Tony Fabrizio attempted to calm the room, citing tight coordination between the White House, the National Republican Senatorial Committee and MAGA Inc. The meeting also touched on Trump’s foreign-policy preoccupations, from a January focus on Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro to a current war in Iran, both of which have strained the party’s domestic agenda.
Why it matters
The senator’s challenge signals internal GOP tension that could affect the party’s messaging and electoral prospects in key swing states.
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