President Donald Trump must address a challenge with one group of voters, a CNN analyst said Friday.
As midterms approach, Trump needs to focus on independents, the group most divided on the joint U.S.-Israeli war in Iran, political commentator and CNN host Michael Smerconish told anchor Wolf Blitzer.
"I see that largely it's a referendum on the commander in chief," Smerconish said. "Republicans overwhelmingly supportive of the efforts, supportive of the president; Democrats in equal numbers, in opposition. The tie breakers are the independents, and that's why, by a relatively slim margin, I see the war effort as being underwater."
He argued that the upcoming elections would reveal how Americans support both the president and the conflict in the Middle East, something that the Trump administration should focus its messaging around. He also suggested the White House needs to shift its approach toward explaining why the military strikes were happening.
"It needs to be sold more about policy than the personality of the president," Smerconish said. "I think what they need to say is, look, for half a century religious fanatics who rule in another country have sworn our destruction. 'Death to America, death to Israel.' We're just not going to let them have a nuclear weapon. And I'd repeat it and repeat it and repeat it."