Trump’s second term plans remain a mystery to the Republican Party

Republican lawmakers say they have little or no idea what President TrumpDonald John Trump protesters tear down the Christopher Columbus statue on Baltimore Independence Day star Bill Pullman, urging Americans to wear a “mask of freedom” on July 4.The agenda would be if he wins a second term, making it difficult for Republican candidates to coordinate campaign messages before November.

Leader of the Senate majority Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnell Public Awareness Campaigns Will Protect The Public During Democrats COVID-19: A Moment In History, Use It Wisely ‘Comrade’ Trump Gets Putin’s ‘Endorsement’ In New Simulated Ad By Lincoln Project MORE (R-Ky.) He said last year that he wanted the 2020 election to be a referendum on socialism, but is instead turning into a referendum on Trump, a scenario that Republican senators wanted to avoid.

Republicans in Congress say Trump spends too much time chasing critics on Twitter and not enough time to articulate his vision for a possible second term. They would prefer more contrasts between their party and Democrats on issues like taxes and regulation, areas they think could be part of a winning formula in the fall.

Instead, Republican senators say there has been little discussion of what Trump’s second term would look like, other than the assumption that he might have a chance to appoint another Supreme Court judge and fill other judicial vacancies.

When asked if he knew what Trump’s agenda would be if he won reelection, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee Chuck grassleyCharles (Chuck) Ernest Grassley Congressman prepares for battle over expiring unemployment benefits United States and Mexico ready for new post-NAFTA trade era Senators pressure IRS chief on stimulus control traps (R-Iowa) said: “Only in the Supreme Court.”

“That’s the only discussion we’ve had,” said Grassley. “The president is going to publish a new list, including some of the people already on the list, for the Supreme Court.”

“I suppose we are going to deal with a free trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the United States, the free trade agreement between Kenya and the United States,” he added.

Grassley predicted that Trump “is going to” talk more about his agenda in the coming months.

Another Republican senator, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said there has been little guidance from the White House on his agenda in the event of a second term.

When asked if the president had described his post-election agenda to Republican senators, the senator said, “No.”

The senator said that must change to give Republicans a better chance of maintaining control of the White House and the Senate.

“Candidates win or lose in part because of what they describe will happen if they are elected. There are many reasons why people vote for or against people. One of the components is ‘If I am elected, this is what you can expect,’ “said the senator, adding that” there should be “a clear explanation of the president’s agenda.

That lack of clarity was shown when the Fox News presenter Sean HannitySean Patrick Hannity Hill’s Coronavirus Report: Stagwell President Mark Penn says Trump is losing in the fight against the virus; Fauci says America ‘goes in the wrong direction’ in fight against Trump virus hits CNN, ‘Morning Joe’ ratings as Tucker Carlson sets record The Hill’s Morning Report – Republicans change, urge people to wear masks PLUS Trump asked in a recent interview about his plans for a second term. In response, Trump gave a long response that was brief in detail.

When Hannity asked what his priorities for a second term would be, Trump spoke generally about how “the word experience is a very important word” and how he didn’t know much about Washington when he was elected. She then transitioned to beat up her former national security adviser. John BoltonJohn Bolton Sunday shows preview: Lawmakers to tackle alarming spike in coronavirus cases Trump administration plans pandemic office at State Department: Bolton report sells 780,000 copies in first week, topping 1 million copies in print MORE like “an idiot” and “a sick guy”.

The lack of an agenda just four months before Election Day sparked criticism and left Republican lawmakers shaking their heads.

Senator Lindsey GrahamLindsey Olin GrahamJaime Harrison Seeks To Convince Democrats She Can Defeat Lindsey Graham Hillicon Valley: Senate Panel Advances Bill Targeting Online Child Sexual Abuse | Trump administration awards tech group contract to build ‘virtual’ wall | Advocacy groups urge Congress to ban facial recognition technologies Senate panel advances bill aimed at child sexual abuse online MORE (RS.C.) summed up his advice to Trump after the Hannity interview by saying: “His agenda is to finish the job that he started in his first term. Close the deal to fix a broken immigration system, build a wall, and go to merit-based immigration. More judges. Keep the military strong. Energy independence, not only for this generation but for each generation ”.

Graham said Trump should also promote plans to deal with debt and make sure Iran never has a nuclear weapon.

“When you ask that question, I would like the president to be able to go back to what he did in his first term, saying, ‘I’m going to finish the job and the new priority will be debt.'” additional.

Republican Senate Whip John ThuneJohn Randolph Thune Republicans fear backlash over Trump’s threatened veto of Confederate names McConnell: Trump should not veto defense bill on renaming Confederate bases Senate Republicans defend Trump’s response on the Russian rewards MORE (SD) said: “The president has, if he wants to make the argument, he has a very good record to speak.”

He said that if the economy continues to recover from the coronavirus shutdown and related job losses, Trump may promote policies that coincided with the lowest national unemployment rate on record before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Republicans think Trump can help regain ground in polls, showing him lagging behind former vice president Joe BidenJoe BidenTrump reaches the “radical left,” the media, China on Independence Day heads to Kaepernick on July 4: “We reject his celebration of white supremacy.” Jaime Harrison seeks to convince Democrats that he can defeat Lindsey Graham MORE, highlighting their different views on the economy and taxes.

Biden unveiled a tax plan in December that would increase taxes on wealthy individuals, families, and corporations, generating $ 3.4 billion in a decade. Republicans see that as a possible campaign problem.

But what’s frustrating for Republican senators is that those kinds of political differences are being lost amid the daily controversies surrounding Trump, such as his threat to veto the annual defense policy bill over a provision that would change the named after a handful of military bases named in honor of the Confederate generals. .

“There is a political debate that will take place there that I think the president can win with the American people. So he has to understand that message, and I hope they do,” Thune said.

Senator Ron JohnsonRonald (Ron) Harold Johnson Congressman Considers Tighter Restrictions on Next Small Business Round to Help Republicans Fear Violent Reaction to Trump’s Threatened Veto on Confederate Names Republican Senator Debate Replaces Day de Colón with June 16 as a federal holiday (R-Wis.), One of Trump’s most loyal allies, said it “always helps” for a candidate to be on an agenda.

“From my point of view, if I were him, I would be pointing out what he did in the first period that was so successful in reviving a slow-growing economy to reach record heights, record levels of unemployment,” he said. “We are going to need the exact same formulation to get us out of COVID.”