Trump seizes control of Republicans' 2026 election strategy with his presidency on the line

WASHINGTON, Nov 24 - President Donald Trump isn't on the ballot in next November's midterm elections, but he’s plunging into them with his own presidency at stake. He's calling candidates, making early endorsements, shaping strategy, and pushing economic messaging to try to keep Congress in Republican hands, according to nine Republicans involved in election strategy.

As early as this summer, 18 months before Election Day 2026, Trump was urging Republican congressmen exploring Senate or gubernatorial runs to stand for reelection instead to avoid party primary fights, according to a White House official, a senior Trump adviser, and a party operative.

Such an early, hands-on involvement in midterm elections is unprecedented for a president in modern times.

"Presidents usually are wheeled into action later in the campaign season," said Bill Galston, who was a senior adviser in former Democratic President Bill Clinton's White House. "This is extremely unusual."

TRUMP WHEELS INTO BATTLE EARLY

Trump's urgency spiked after state and local elections on November 4 when exit polling showed voters punished Republicans over the rising cost of living.

In multiple meetings immediately after the vote, Trump angrily told aides that Republicans should own the affordability message, the White House official told Reuters on condition of anonymity to discuss Trump's reaction.

The president reminded his staff that he had returned to the White House on a promise to tackle inflation. Republicans should not cede ground to Democrats on the issue but highlight where his administration had succeeded in bringing down prices, said the official, who was briefed on the meetings.

Trump "has been absolutely clear that affordability is the center of our economic agenda," the White House official said.

Costs have continued to rise in the U.S., in part because of sweeping tariffs Trump has imposed on foreign imports. Trump scrapped some tariffs this month to reduce prices on beef, coffee, fruit, and other groceries.

"He's definitely going to exert more pressure on the administration to move even quicker to provide policy solutions," the senior Trump adviser said.

The White House official said Trump's involvement includes frequent check-ins with senior advisers, bursts of calls to political allies, and regular sessions where aides walk him through polling, fundraising numbers, and research on voter sentiment.

SLIDING IN POLLS

Trump has seen his poll numbers slide in recent weeks, driven in part by voters' unhappiness with his handling of the economy. His approval rating has fallen to 38%, the lowest this year, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on November 18.

"The reality is, when a president is unpopular, he takes seats away from his party," said Doug Heye, a Republican strategist who has been a Trump critic.

Trump got a reality check last week on his sway over Republican lawmakers when he was forced to reverse his opposition to releasing Justice Department files on Jeffrey Epstein, the late convicted sex offender, after a rebellion by his supporters and House Republicans.

Trump's poor approval ratings raise uncertainty about whether he can keep Republicans unified heading into the midterms if voter frustration over inflation and living costs persists.