Some White House officials are privately expressing frustration over President Trump’s recent embrace of a message stoking racial and cultural divisions.
The Trump allies are telling him that he has a better argument to make and to focus on his accomplishments in office and offer sharp criticism of his opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden, said two officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to frankly discuss private conversations, NBC News reports.
But Trump — four months away from facing voters in his re-election bid and trailing Biden in the polls — is “going with his gut” and “relying on instinct,” the two officials said. Instead of touting wins, Trump has opted to zero in on the national debate about race and side with supporters who view themselves as victims unfairly cast as racists in the renewed national discussion about discrimination targeting minorities.
“Cultural issues are always going to be with us, and the president is animated by them,” a White House official said. “While we don’t want to wade into divisive issues, we do want to stand with American history.”
