Trump mentioned the inflation rate on his platform, Truth Social, but devoted far more space to a hearing that GOP operatives were hoping to ignore. (Trump launched Truth Social after being booted from Twitter, giving him a vehicle to reach his supporters unfiltered.)
“I think it’s fine to correct the record so it’s not just a stream of uninhibited talking points,” said one former Trump White House aide, “but I think the vast majority of the energy should be spent on the economic issues.”…
An ad released by the Republican National Committee on Thursday captured the GOP’s approach. The ad faulted Biden for inflation, crime and the chaotic troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. At the end, a message on screen reads, “But what do Democrats focus on?” followed by a reference to the Jan. 6 committee.
But getting Trump to disregard the hearings may be too much to expect: He’s never excelled at staying on message. People close to him said that he remains fixated on the idea that he was robbed of a victory and it’s impossible to get him to drop the subject. In the days after the Capitol riot, according to the committee, one of Trump’s confidants, Fox News host Sean Hannity, sent a text message to the White House press secretary: “No more stolen election talk.” Hannity’s advice didn’t take.
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