Top Trump aides warn the president's fixation on construction projects and monuments is diverting attention from voters' everyday concerns as his approval rating falls to 32 percent, according to Quinnipiac. Insiders and reporters say much of his focus goes to legacy projects and three dominant priorities — tariffs, grievance-driven rhetoric, and self-celebratory monuments — none of which test well with the public. Party leaders also worry about roughly $400 million idle at MAGA Inc. and fear losing the House and possibly the Senate unless messaging shifts to affordability.
White House Aides Warn Trump's Focus on Monuments and Projects Is Hurting GOP Ahead of Midterms
Daniel Heuer/REUTERS
Senior aides close to President Donald Trump say his preoccupation with personal construction projects and monuments — even as his approval ratings slide — signals a dangerous detachment from voters' everyday concerns that could cost Republicans in the November midterms.
Polling and Perception
A Quinnipiac poll released last week put Trump's approval at 32 percent, the lowest of his political career. The same survey found 68 percent of respondents believe he is not paying enough attention to issues affecting most households.
What Insiders Report
People familiar with the president's thinking told Axios that Trump has retreated into what one aide called "the hobbies that distract from his terrible polling numbers, about which he is in denial." New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman estimated in a podcast appearance that roughly 70 percent of his attention is devoted to construction plans and statuary, calling it "a legacy thing."
The president would much rather talk about his ballroom. / Kevin Lamarque/REUTERS
"It's a legacy thing," Maggie Haberman said on Ezra Klein's podcast.
Axios reports three priorities appear to dominate the president's time: trade disputes and tariffs, grievance-driven rhetoric framed as a political "war," and an effort to erect monuments and tributes to his presidency. Insiders say none of those priorities test well with the public.
Political and Financial Consequences
Officials say the apparent distraction has undermined a long-standing Republican advantage: the public perception that Republicans better manage the economy. A Reuters poll found voters are now evenly divided over which party handles fiscal responsibility, erasing a GOP lead that had stood for nine years.
Party leaders are also privately frustrated by roughly $400 million sitting idle at Trump's super PAC, MAGA Inc. Insiders told Axios that Trump's reluctance to deploy large donations into competitive races has dampened donor enthusiasm.
His arch plans have also taken up monumental amounts of his time. / The Washington Post via Getty Images
Rather than redirecting resources to vulnerable contests, Trump has pushed funding and attention toward the SAVE America Act, legislation that would require voters to document citizenship and produce identification. Republican lawmakers have repeatedly warned him the measure cannot pass; Trump has blamed Senate Majority Leader John Thune and reportedly threatened to remove him over the dispute.
Personal Projects and Messaging
Aides say the president enjoys showing visitors drawings and models for projects such as a new White House ballroom, a proposed Triumphal Arch, the new Air Force One, redesign plans for Dulles International Airport, and a helipad under construction on the South Lawn.
Senior House Republicans told Axios their internal polling points to possible losses of the House and even the Senate in November. Several have privately urged Trump to shift the message toward affordability and pocketbook issues, but many doubt he will pivot.
On the prospect of heavy Republican losses, Trump told Punchbowl News: "They're angry at Republicans. They're not angry at me."
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment.
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