Trump lashes out at aides as Republican midterm prospects keep sinking
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President Donald Trump is blaming senior aides for a faltering Republican midterm strategy, even as disputes over campaign cash, redistricting, and handpicked candidates expose the dysfunction inside his political machine.
President Donald Trump is trying to pin the Republican Party's weak midterm prospects on senior aides and political operatives, angrily questioning campaign spending, redistricting plans and candidate selections, three people familiar with the internal discussions said. The infighting centers on James Blair, who runs Trump's super PAC MAGA Inc., and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, who until now had largely avoided direct blame. Trump has attacked Blair's handling of campaign funds, while some White House officials and allies have questioned Wiles' oversight of the political operation.
Wiles has pointed to Blair, and Blair has blamed the White House legislative affairs team, one source said. "What's really happening is a circular firing squad," the source added.
Opinion polls suggest Democrats are on track to win the House, while the Senate race remains close. Losing the House would curb Trump's legislative agenda in the final two years of his term and give Democrats subpoena power over his administration.
Trump defended Wiles on Friday, calling her "smart" and "tough" and saying she will remain in her job. "Susie is here, and she's going to be here for a long time," he said. White House spokesman Davis Ingle rejected the description of internal disputes, calling the sources "armchair experts peddling their baseless speculation." Wiles did not respond to a request for comment.
Trump has long tried to avoid owning political setbacks, previously insisting he deserved credit for Republican victories but should not be blamed for losses. Even so, he helped shape strategies now under scrutiny, including the redistricting push and candidate choices driven by personal loyalties.
The dispute intensified after Blair and campaign co-manager Chris LaCivita traveled to Republika Srpska in early October to advise the regional government, a trip that drew criticism for its lucrative nature. Trump described the two as "outside consultants" and warned he would terminate them if a conflict of interest was found.
Senior White House officials questioned why Blair was doing overseas work while overseeing the final stretch of the Republican campaign, and one source said Wiles approved the trip without informing Trump. Blair responded that the criticism was "ridiculous and counterproductive" and said his focus remained on helping Republicans win in November. LaCivita similarly said the team remained focused on the midterms.
Public records show MAGA Inc. has spent about $200 million on the campaign so far, but it remains unclear whether Trump will authorize additional spending. He has also pressed aides to explain why the redistricting effort he championed has not produced clearer Republican gains, particularly in Texas, where the new congressional map depends on high Hispanic turnout that may be harder to reproduce.
One source said the redistricting "diced up the Trump voters too much." While Trump had indicated Blair would return to the White House after the midterms, two sources said that return is now unlikely. Wiles' future remains uncertain, though a source noted she has kept the political operation running effectively.