Republicans are cringing over President Donald Trump's attacks on late Hollywood legend Rob Reiner and believe his comments, plus the chaotic past 11 months, could cost them the House in upcoming midterm elections.
Trump mocked Reiner — who was found stabbed to death with his wife, Michele, in their Los Angeles home on Sunday — all while shifting his focus on important policies as GOP lawmakers have promised and pleaded to fix with voters, according to a Semafor report published Tuesday.
"Lawmakers in the president’s own party, who thought they were inured to his public persona, are cringing at Trump’s attack on a murdered film director and digesting unusually candid comments from his chief of staff — distractions from their harsh political reality as souring public sentiment threatens their control of Congress next year," Semafor reported. "They can’t seem to unify around a fix for rising health care premiums or tariff-shocked prices."
Lawmakers aren't just confused by Trump's policies — they're frustrated.
"The contrast between Congress’ policy challenges and Trump’s focus on Reiner angered some Republicans on the Hill; it puzzled others," according to the outlet.
And Republicans have growing fears about what could happen to the party in 2026.
"Two more throwbacks to late 2017: Republicans are still nowhere on health care as they start to fear what the midterms could bring," Semafor reported. "One person close to the White House sent Semafor polling from a House district that Trump won handily last year, showing his weakness on the economy. This person said a major economic bill could turn the party’s fortunes but that if the 'election was today, we’d be cooked.'”