White House says president will shift focus to domestic economic issues with weekly stops across the country beginning in Iowa.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
President Donald Trump will begin a series of weekly domestic trips aimed at highlighting his economic agenda ahead of November’s midterm elections, starting Tuesday with a speech in Iowa, according to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.
Wiles said the Iowa address will center on the economy and energy policy, marking the start of a broader effort by the administration to refocus attention on domestic priorities. She said Cabinet officials are also expected to increase travel around the United States in the coming months as part of the strategy.
The move comes amid growing frustration among senior White House aides and Republican lawmakers who believe the president has devoted too much attention to foreign policy at a time when economic and healthcare concerns are dominating the election year. Polling has shown widespread voter dissatisfaction with the state of the economy, a vulnerability for Republicans as they head into the midterms.
In an interview last week with Reuters, Trump acknowledged that his party could struggle to maintain its narrow control of Congress, noting that the president’s party historically loses seats in midterm elections.
Trump’s recent foreign policy focus has included a U.S. military operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, heightened rhetoric over acquiring Greenland, efforts to negotiate an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine, and promotion of an international “Board of Peace” initiative intended to address global conflicts.
On Wednesday, Trump ruled out the use of force in his pursuit of Greenland but told world leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos that no other nation is capable of securing the Danish territory. Those remarks drew significant attention and overshadowed a speech that was expected to emphasize the U.S. economy.
Administration officials and Republican strategists have grown concerned that Trump has struggled to deliver an economic message that resonates with voters, particularly on affordability. Allies fear the emphasis on foreign affairs could lead to electoral backlash, since international issues rarely drive congressional election outcomes.
Although Trump himself is not on the ballot, Republicans see him as their most effective messenger on economic issues and plan to deploy him heavily in an effort to persuade undecided and skeptical voters.
According to a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll, 36 percent of Americans approve of Trump’s handling of the economy. That figure is below the 42 percent approval he registered on the issue when he first took office last year, but it represents an improvement from a low of 33 percent recorded in December.
In response to cost-of-living concerns, the White House has recently rolled out a series of populist economic proposals. Trump has called for capping credit card interest rates at 10 percent, banning large investors from purchasing single-family homes, and directing government-backed mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to purchase $200 billion in mortgage bonds in an effort to lower mortgage rates.
Several economists and mortgage lenders interviewed by Reuters expressed skepticism that the proposals would meaningfully reduce costs for consumers before the midterm elections, warning that some measures could have unintended consequences or even backfire.
The administration’s renewed emphasis on domestic travel underscores an effort to recalibrate Trump’s message as Republicans brace for a challenging election season shaped largely by voter perceptions of the economy.