Republicans are worried that President Trump's defense team is "woefully unprepared" to defend him against the Democrats' impeachment efforts against him, and Trump isn't making the situation any better with his "insistence that Republicans buy in fully to his defense strategy," Gabriel Sherman writes for Vanity Fair.
While removing Trump from office is still a tall order, "the dynamics of the Senate trial are clearly shifting in directions that are dangerous for the president," writes Sherman, adding that "Trump’s circle is waking up to the notion that impeachment is a serious drag on his campaign."
"Inside the campaign there is an intensifying debate between Trump and his advisers about whether the campaign should run on base-incitement issues like immigration or a moderate-appealing message about the economy that could win back suburban voters," Sherman writes.
One of those people suggesting that Trump move his rhetoric to the middle is his son-in-law and top adviser Jared Kushner -- who has reportedly been on the receiving end of Trump's ire lately.
"According to sources, Trump is unhappy with Kushner’s recent Time cover story, which showed Kushner posing solemnly inside the magazine’s iconic red border," Sherman writes. "One source said there is speculation inside the West Wing that Trump may rein in Kushner by bringing in Kushner antagonist Chris Christie to replace acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney. According to one source, Kushner, perhaps realizing the problems the cover could cause, lobbied Matt Drudge not to link to the article."
Read the full piece over at Vanity Fair.
