With Everything at Stake, Trump Is Playing To Win

The story

The former president is contending with four criminal cases, 88 criminal charges, and one conviction in the midst of his reelection campaign. Although his three remaining trials will likely be delayed until after the November election, they pose a significant threat.

Unlike Donald Trump’s campaigns in years past, he does not have the luxury of behaving erratically or taking big risks. He’s not playing with house money anymore; whether or not criminal trials should have been brought against him, they’re here, and they could land him in jail for the rest of his life if he loses.

Trump’s inner circle has not always been of high character but, now that the stakes are so high, his new team may be his best asset. They are more focused, more cohesive, more loyal, and they’re striving to get their boss back to the White House.

The team

The Trump campaign is managed by two heads, Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles, both political veterans. Standing behind Trump during his Iowa caucus victory speech, they listened as the former president lauded, "They want no accolades; they just want a victory, and they want to make America great again. They don't want to be speaking, they don't want to have pictures, they just want to do their job.”

The new team is reportedly more cohesive behind closed doors, leaving behind the infighting and firings that afflicted Trump’s previous campaigns. The team is more disciplined and is maintaining much-needed relationships with Republican groups and donors, whose lack cost them in the previous election.

A central player is senior advisor and communications strategist, Jason Miller — credited with Trump’s 2023 visit to East Palestine, Ohio, in the aftermath of the train derailment that caused an environmental disaster. While President Biden stayed in Washington, Trump went to the small Ohio town to distribute water bottles and McDonald's burgers, marking, as Miller described it, a “turning point” in the nascent Trump 2024 presidential campaign.

Sources close to the Republican nominee emphasize that loyalty is Trump’s number one priority when choosing staff. Figures like John Bolton, Michael Cohen, Anthony Scaramucci, and Omarosa Manigault Newman left an indelible mark after they “turned on” Trump, plaguing his White House with chaos and causing him to question who he could trust. With a no-nonsense staff of shrewd operators, the 2024 campaign has had immense success and is forecasted at this point to win the election.

Beyond the headlines

In speeches, Donald Trump serves up favorite themes like economic nationalism and stringent immigration control, seasoned with sharp criticism of political opponents. Carefully masterminded by campaign speechwriters Vince Haley and Ross Worthington, the former president’s rhetoric is meticulously crafted to resonate with core supporters. Familiar phrases like “Stop the invasion,” “Rebuild our cities,” "Defund any school pushing critical race theory,” and “Drill, baby, drill” are keeping Trump on message and reinforcing his platform to Americans.

Continually hammering Democrat corruption, illegal migration, the economy, and American energy and pushing back against progressive ideology is where Trump’s new strategy begins. He took the lead in preventing the GOP from pursuing potentially damaging electoral issues when he urged the Alabama Legislature to protect in vitro fertilization (IVF) after a state ruling cast doubt on its legality. He also opposed Arizona’s near-total abortion ban.

Emphasizing that abortion should remain a states' rights issue and that IVF helps to make more babies, Trump has underscored the importance of winning elections and avoiding voter backlash on sensitive topics.

Donald Trump’s new constraint is not limited to campaign rhetoric and policy choice; it’s evident in his endorsements for public office. After a lousy 2022 midterm performance for Republicans, he seems to have learned his lesson about backing the most MAGA candidates instead of those most likely to win. In primary races, Trump endorsed Rep. Mike Rogers in Michigan, Tim Sheehy for Senate in Montana, and West Virginia’s Jim Justice for governor, sidelining more divisive contenders.

Why it matters

In Trump’s previous campaigns, Democrats had a seemingly endless supply of erratic comments or boorish behavior to use to their advantage. Now that Americans are accustomed to his personality, a singly-focused Donald Trump is causing panic among his opposition. If he can maintain focus and minimize the antics, the 2024 election could become a referendum on President Biden and a myriad of concerns Americans have regarding his leadership.

Donald Trump knows that, should he fail in November, he could face the prospect of spending the rest of his life in jail.

As 18th-century English author Samuel Johnson articulated, “When a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully.”