With Biden Jabs, Trump Defies Kushner’s 2020 Strategy To Avoid Primary Meddling

U.S. President Donald Trump recognizes White Senior Advisor Jared Kushner, at the 2019 White House Prison Reform Summit and First Step Act celebration. Hosted in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., On Monday, April 1, 2019. (Photo by Cheriss May/NurPhoto)
U.S. President Donald Trump recognizes White Senior Advisor Jared Kushner, at the 2019 White House Prison Reform Summit and First Step Act celebration. Hosted in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., ... U.S. President Donald Trump recognizes White Senior Advisor Jared Kushner, at the 2019 White House Prison Reform Summit and First Step Act celebration. Hosted in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., On Monday, April 1, 2019. (Photo by Cheriss May/NurPhoto via Getty Images) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

The president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner believes attacks on any Democratic primary candidates will be counter-productive and has warned President Trump’s campaign strategist to avoid getting involved.

But Trump hasn’t heeded the advice, causing a rift between aides on how best to move forward with the campaign, Politico reported. 

“We’ve asked him — I’ve personally asked him — to stop. It’s not helping us. It’s helping Biden,” a Trump adviser told Politico. “We don’t think Biden can make it out of the woke Democrat primary. But he will if the president gives him oxygen.”

Kushner reportedly believes the campaign should “be focused inward for now,” in Politico’s words, and that it’s not the right time for Trump to make headlines for attacking potential Democratic opponents, a person familiar with the strategy told Politico. Yet Trump defied the rule when he retweeted more than 50 firefighters who said they didn’t intend to support former Vice President Joe Biden, just after a firefighter union endorsed the candidate.

Latest News
27
Show Comments

Notable Replies

  1. “But Trump has clearly heeded the advice, …”

    Certainly, you meant ‘not heeded’ the advice?

  2. Avatar for Bri2k Bri2k says:

    Agent Orange just can’t help meddling and if he doesn’t do it himself, he’s got russians for that.

  3. Avatar for bdtex bdtex says:

    Raise your hand if you think Trump has enough self-discipline to restrain himself. And yes…he is helping Joe Biden.

  4. So who does Ivanka support?

  5. Kushner reportedly believes the campaign should “be focused inward for now,” in Politico’s words, and that it’s not the right time for Trump to make headlines for attacking potential Democratic opponents,

    Focused inward? Has Jared met Trump? What’s there inside to focus on? Trump filed for re-election the same day he took the oath of office. He’s systematically been placing people who he likes into his Super PAC or campaign, but who can’t play by the rules in the WH.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

21 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for bdtex Avatar for pluckyinky Avatar for bryan Avatar for rollinnolan Avatar for lastroth Avatar for darcy Avatar for iamwil Avatar for dangoodbar Avatar for hoagie Avatar for benthere Avatar for shakerosalt Avatar for rumpole Avatar for corncaucus2008 Avatar for centralasiaexpat Avatar for maximus Avatar for surge Avatar for aiddon Avatar for kjpjr Avatar for occamscoin Avatar for theuniversalexecutive Avatar for deepblueinga Avatar for ANNFFL Avatar for Akimbo

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: