Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff, revealed the administration plans to put President Donald Trump on the campaign trail for the 2026 midterms, to help allied Republicans retain as many seats as possible in Congress.
Looking to the new year, Wiles said they plan to pivot the president’s focus on the upcoming midterm elections – which will be a major test of how voters are responding to the president’s overhaul of the federal government and swift policy implementation.
“I haven’t quite broken it to him yet, but he’s going to campaign like it’s 2024 again,” Wiles told The Mom VIEW, a YouTube show launched by the conservative nonprofit Moms for America, in a pre-taped episode that aired Monday.
The White House chief of staff, who was nicknamed “Ice Maiden” by the president, said potential voters are more likely to cast a ballot in a local election when Trump heavily endorses a candidate. She pointed to the Democrats’ recent wins in local races as an example of what happens when Trump is not on the ballot.
“Typically, in the midterms, it’s not about who’s sitting at the White House; you localize the election. And you keep the federal officials out of it. We’re actually going to turn that on its head and put him on the ballot,” Wiles said.
The administration is hoping the president can maintain his party’s hold on the House and Senate, if not expand the number of Republican seats, with in-person campaign appearances, monetary backing and more.
Part of Trump’s strategy includes pressuring Republican-heavy states to redistrict and gerrymander their maps to help conservative candidates pick up more seats. Another part of it includes targeting election laws, such as mail-in ballot voting, which is most likely to be done by Democratic voters.
But there’s no denying that Trump’s word carries significant weight with potential midterm voters who are loyal to the president. Already, he’s used his Truth Social account to rattle off endorsements, a year before Election Day.
But in-person campaign stops could be challenging for the president, 79, who will be juggling his 24/7 job as president with some major events in the U.S. next year – such as the Olympics, the FIFA World Cup and America’s 250th anniversary.
Toward the end of his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump seemingly showed signs of exhaustion after endless rallies and media appearances. He rambled on during rally appearances, occasionally appeared with a hoarse voice, and reportedly had to cancel some interviews due to tiredness.
Even in office, as the oldest person ever elected president, Trump repeatedly faces questions about his health. Trump has been seen with bruising on his hands – attributed to frequent hand-shaking and consistent aspirin use; swollen ankles – attributed to a diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency; and seemingly falling asleep during televised meetings.
Trump has consistently denied that he suffers from any significant ailment.
