Washington Examiner White House correspondent Christian Datoc said President Donald Trump’s messaging about the economy on the campaign trail will not change voters’ minds.
“The president needs to change his messaging slightly,” Datoc said on C-Span. “What he said on the campaign trail will not work to change minds of either independent voters, disillusioned democrats, or even Republicans who are really concerned about kitchen table issues.”
Datoc said Trump entered office with “some of the highest” approval ratings, but they have steadily decreased.
Datoc emphasized the “most frightening” number for the president, the White House, and Republicans’ hopes of maintaining their majority in Congress is Trump’s economic polling.
Just 33% of adults in the United States approve of the president’s handling of the economy, according to a Reuters-Ipsos poll.
Datoc highlighted that this is a 12-point dip from when Trump entered office.
“This is supposed to be the issue, along with immigration, that really sets him apart. Not only from Joe Biden and Kamala Harris but really from any other Republican that has been in D.C. for the better part of this millennium,” he said.
Datoc said it will be a “nightmare” for Republicans if Trump can’t convince voters that he’s “the guy you need in Washington” to lower prices and increase wages.
“The cost of food is up, the cost of energy is up, the cost of consumer technologies are up,” Datoc said. “These are things we use every single day, and I’m not even getting to the housing crisis yet.”
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However, Datoc gave Trump “a little bit of credit” on the housing crisis.
“They do appear to be trying to put together some type of new housing plan to unveil to voters in January, but it might be a little too late,” he said.
Datoc said Trump is “almost” sending the same message to voters about the economy, telling them to “hang on.”
Datoc said Trump promised on the campaign trail to lower prices on Day One to their pre-pandemic spike.
“Through his first year in office, inflation has stagnated, but none of those other things have necessarily come to fruition, and voters want results now,” Datoc said.
“The White House has to come up with a plan, or otherwise I think it is going to be a major way for Democrats in the midterms,” he added.