President Trump is struggling to stick to a consistent message that resonates with voters, vacillating almost daily between scripted events and remarks and incendiary commentary that risks alienating key voting blocs in an election year.
The whiplash was on full display this week, as Trump made a series of trips to underscore his administration’s focus on the coronavirus pandemic and economy.
efforts to keep the focus on those events were quickly undone by the president’s claims that low-income housing developments that largely benefit minorities would “destroy” the suburbs, his retweet of a fringe doctor who supports the use of a controversial antimalarial drug to treat COVID-19 and his suggestion that Election Day be delayed.
The president trails presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden in national and key swing state polls, particularly among suburban voters who contributed to his victory in 2016, worrying some Republicans who see Trump’s unscripted remarks as increasingly hurting him.