Republicans Are Realizing That Donald Trump’s Spin Is ‘Collapsing Under The Weight Of Reality,’ Columnist Says

In a Tuesday op-ed for The Washington Post, columnist Paul Waldman claims that the Republican Party is coming to the realization that Donald Trump‘s spin is “collapsing under the weight of reality” and believes he may drag them down along with him.

“There are some things you can’t explain away, like 56,000 Americans dead (so far) from the coronavirus, an administration response that has been chaotic and incompetent, and a president whose communication about the pandemic has been so uninformed and embarrassing that his own aides are trying to figure out how to keep his mouth shut,” Waldman wrote.

According to Waldman, White House aides are currently attempting to push Trump away from speaking about the medical and health implications of the coronavirus by claiming that it may damage his chances at re-election. To pivot away from this focus, the White House is reportedly looking to focus on events where the president can talk about the economy.

In a move that could reflect GOP wariness to Trump’s possible downfall, National Republican Senatorial Committee recently circulated a memo that advised against defending Trump on anything but the China travel ban. Instead, they urged the Republican Party to focus its energy on attacking China.

Waldman says that the Republican Party’s pivot from defending Trump is “extraordinarily revealing.”

“It shows that they have little confidence that six months from now voters will be applauding Trump’s leadership.”

The most likely scenario, Waldman says, is that the United States will still be dealing with a “horrific death toll” and a struggling economy dragged down by “massive job losses” and a “slowdown in commercial activity.”

Waldman suggests that the possibility of Trump’s failures becoming unavoidable will put vulnerable Republican senators at risk, which could lead to the party losing the Senate.

As reported by Politico, Trump’s campaign responded fiercely to the memo that urged Republicans against defending Trump. The publication claims that the pushback shows how Trump demands obedience from the Republicans and “moves aggressively” against any “perceived dissent” within the party. Even as Trump faces dipping poll numbers are increased criticism for the COVID-19 pandemic, Politico says Trump continues to maintain an “iron grip” on the party.

In addition to taking heat for his handling of the pandemic, Trump is facing a wave of criticism for suggesting that doctors should look into the effectiveness of injecting disinfectant to combat the virus. When pressed about the reported increase in Americans improperly using the potentially dangerous products, the president denied any responsibility.