Trump attempts to rejuvenate his campaign following a challenging month
Trump's chances of securing a victory in November are significantly dimmer than they used to be.
TroibNews 
Donald Trump is beginning to acknowledge the risks he faces in the upcoming election and the changes he needs to implement to improve his chances.
As Democrats gathered this week in Chicago, Trump’s campaign advisors reached out to allies of both him and Brian Kemp, the popular governor of Georgia whom Trump had criticized publicly just weeks earlier, in an effort to mend fences between the two Republicans.
In addition, Trump's team has been confidentially discussing ways to expand his appeal among voters and reinforce support from key allies. A stakeholders call was held last week with several influential Trump supporters and unofficial advisers to provide updates on the election landscape.
Trump has privately indicated that he realizes the possibility of losing in November looms large unless he fundamentally alters his campaign strategy, according to a source familiar with his thoughts who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The former president’s chances of winning back the White House have diminished significantly since the high spirits following the GOP convention in Milwaukee just a month ago. After surviving an assassination attempt days prior, and with an unpopular Biden affirming his candidacy, many in the GOP believed Trump’s victory was assured.
Now, after a month of buoyant polling and favorable media coverage for Kamala Harris, Trump and his team are increasingly anxious. His backers have taken to the airwaves imploring him to shift his focus away from personal attacks and crowd size comparisons to a more policy-driven campaign, with some signs that these suggestions are being acknowledged, if only partially.
As Harris was set to speak in Chicago on Thursday, Trump took to social media to commend Kemp, marking a significant shift as he seeks to right the course of his campaign in light of Harris’s advancing poll numbers.
This week, Trump also declared he would not enforce the Comstock Act against the mail delivery of abortion pills, a topic he had previously avoided commenting on definitively. He posted on Truth Social that his administration “will be great for women and their reproductive rights,” a term welcoming to abortion rights advocates, seemingly in an effort to attract moderate voters, though it did not sit well with anti-abortion leaders.
After being advised by his team to concentrate more on policy matters, he embarked on a week-long tour of battleground states, with events addressing different topics each day. Behind the scenes, he also worked towards securing the endorsement of independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who announced on Friday that he was suspending his presidential campaign.
Despite calls for greater discipline on the campaign trail, Trump often relies on his political instincts. While he delivered some policy speeches using teleprompters, he also drifted off-script during a rally in North Carolina, humorously claiming he would perhaps fire his advisers for urging him to refrain from personal jabs at Harris. Additionally, he made notable personnel changes by bringing on former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski from his affiliated super PAC, MAGA Inc.
Most significantly, his public reconciliation with Kemp marks a decisive effort to stabilize his campaign.
Trump’s late Thursday night post praising Kemp elicited “a sigh of relief in Republican circles here,” according to Stephen Lawson, a veteran Georgia Republican operative. “It’s the best message to come out of Donald Trump’s campaign in the last month. It’s that plain and simple. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that Brian Kemp is critical to Donald Trump winning the White House again.”
Republican strategist Josh Holmes tweeted that Trump's gesture toward Kemp was “far more significant than anything in Chicago tonight.”
The public feud had raised concerns among Georgia Republicans about Trump undermining his prospects in a key battleground state with 16 electoral votes. In the past week, Kemp has reported receiving more calls from Trump-aligned donors, according to an individual privy to the outreach.
Kemp, perceived as having his own political aspirations post-governorship—be it a run for president in 2028 or a Senate campaign in 2026—has a vested interest in presenting himself as a cooperative member of the GOP. In the immediate sense, he is keen on ensuring that Republicans retain their majority in the state legislature, as Democrats aim to erode that advantage.
Trump’s public re-evaluation of Kemp appears to have sparked after viewing the governor on Sean Hannity’s show Thursday night. Trump appreciated Kemp’s emphasis on the significance of voter turnout across the Republican ticket and was pleased that Kemp acknowledged him and commended his policies multiple times.
During the interview, while reiterating his usual message about the importance of not taking votes for granted in Georgia, Kemp specifically stated, “We need to send Donald Trump back to the White House.”
Kemp addressed concerns regarding election integrity, affirming that elections would be “secure, accessible, and fair.” Trump has expressed frustration towards Kemp regarding the governor’s refusal to endorse his unsubstantiated claims about the 2020 election being rigged.
This exchange occurred following Hannity, Sen. Lindsey Graham, and others stressing the necessity of Trump refocusing his efforts. “We’re 40 days away from early voting, we don’t have time for this,” remarked Hannity concerning Trump's conflicts with Kemp.
Former adviser Kellyanne Conway argued on Fox Business that the “winning formula” involves “fewer insults, more insights.” Vivek Ramaswamy also urged Trump to “shift the focus to policy.”
On Friday, Bill White, a donor and Trump associate critical of Kemp, made a $1,000 contribution to Kemp’s political action committee as a goodwill gesture. He noted that he and other donors involved in the Trump-Kemp reconciliation efforts would “continue to help make the relationship a smooth and an enjoyable one.”
“I think the testosterone levels are all back to normal and we're now unified,” White remarked, adding that the message conveyed is that “Gov. Kemp wants President Trump to win and save our country from World War III.”
Several prominent figures involved in the negotiations between Trump and Kemp included former Sen. Kelly Loeffler and her husband, Jeff Sprecher; Brian Jack, a Republican congressional candidate in Georgia and former Trump adviser; Georgia GOP chair Josh McKoon; Graham; Lt. Gov. Burt Jones; and Sonny Perdue, the former Georgia governor and Trump’s agriculture secretary.
Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, also reached out to Kemp during a campaign stop in Georgia on Thursday. “I read the headlines,” Vance told reporters. “Brian Kemp and Donald Trump have had some disagreements. I 100 percent, guarantee you, that Brian Kemp is behind this ticket.”
Following a text exchange with Kemp, initiated by Vance, it was noted that the two share a good rapport according to sources familiar with their interactions.
Republican voters “want Donald Trump to show that he cares more about the cause than his personal grievances,” emphasized Cole Muzio, the president of Frontline Policy Action in Georgia and a Kemp ally. “This was a basic hurdle Trump needed to clear.”
Aarav Patel contributed to this report for TROIB News
As Democrats gathered this week in Chicago, Trump’s campaign advisors reached out to allies of both him and Brian Kemp, the popular governor of Georgia whom Trump had criticized publicly just weeks earlier, in an effort to mend fences between the two Republicans.
In addition, Trump's team has been confidentially discussing ways to expand his appeal among voters and reinforce support from key allies. A stakeholders call was held last week with several influential Trump supporters and unofficial advisers to provide updates on the election landscape.
Trump has privately indicated that he realizes the possibility of losing in November looms large unless he fundamentally alters his campaign strategy, according to a source familiar with his thoughts who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The former president’s chances of winning back the White House have diminished significantly since the high spirits following the GOP convention in Milwaukee just a month ago. After surviving an assassination attempt days prior, and with an unpopular Biden affirming his candidacy, many in the GOP believed Trump’s victory was assured.
Now, after a month of buoyant polling and favorable media coverage for Kamala Harris, Trump and his team are increasingly anxious. His backers have taken to the airwaves imploring him to shift his focus away from personal attacks and crowd size comparisons to a more policy-driven campaign, with some signs that these suggestions are being acknowledged, if only partially.
As Harris was set to speak in Chicago on Thursday, Trump took to social media to commend Kemp, marking a significant shift as he seeks to right the course of his campaign in light of Harris’s advancing poll numbers.
This week, Trump also declared he would not enforce the Comstock Act against the mail delivery of abortion pills, a topic he had previously avoided commenting on definitively. He posted on Truth Social that his administration “will be great for women and their reproductive rights,” a term welcoming to abortion rights advocates, seemingly in an effort to attract moderate voters, though it did not sit well with anti-abortion leaders.
After being advised by his team to concentrate more on policy matters, he embarked on a week-long tour of battleground states, with events addressing different topics each day. Behind the scenes, he also worked towards securing the endorsement of independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who announced on Friday that he was suspending his presidential campaign.
Despite calls for greater discipline on the campaign trail, Trump often relies on his political instincts. While he delivered some policy speeches using teleprompters, he also drifted off-script during a rally in North Carolina, humorously claiming he would perhaps fire his advisers for urging him to refrain from personal jabs at Harris. Additionally, he made notable personnel changes by bringing on former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski from his affiliated super PAC, MAGA Inc.
Most significantly, his public reconciliation with Kemp marks a decisive effort to stabilize his campaign.
Trump’s late Thursday night post praising Kemp elicited “a sigh of relief in Republican circles here,” according to Stephen Lawson, a veteran Georgia Republican operative. “It’s the best message to come out of Donald Trump’s campaign in the last month. It’s that plain and simple. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that Brian Kemp is critical to Donald Trump winning the White House again.”
Republican strategist Josh Holmes tweeted that Trump's gesture toward Kemp was “far more significant than anything in Chicago tonight.”
The public feud had raised concerns among Georgia Republicans about Trump undermining his prospects in a key battleground state with 16 electoral votes. In the past week, Kemp has reported receiving more calls from Trump-aligned donors, according to an individual privy to the outreach.
Kemp, perceived as having his own political aspirations post-governorship—be it a run for president in 2028 or a Senate campaign in 2026—has a vested interest in presenting himself as a cooperative member of the GOP. In the immediate sense, he is keen on ensuring that Republicans retain their majority in the state legislature, as Democrats aim to erode that advantage.
Trump’s public re-evaluation of Kemp appears to have sparked after viewing the governor on Sean Hannity’s show Thursday night. Trump appreciated Kemp’s emphasis on the significance of voter turnout across the Republican ticket and was pleased that Kemp acknowledged him and commended his policies multiple times.
During the interview, while reiterating his usual message about the importance of not taking votes for granted in Georgia, Kemp specifically stated, “We need to send Donald Trump back to the White House.”
Kemp addressed concerns regarding election integrity, affirming that elections would be “secure, accessible, and fair.” Trump has expressed frustration towards Kemp regarding the governor’s refusal to endorse his unsubstantiated claims about the 2020 election being rigged.
This exchange occurred following Hannity, Sen. Lindsey Graham, and others stressing the necessity of Trump refocusing his efforts. “We’re 40 days away from early voting, we don’t have time for this,” remarked Hannity concerning Trump's conflicts with Kemp.
Former adviser Kellyanne Conway argued on Fox Business that the “winning formula” involves “fewer insults, more insights.” Vivek Ramaswamy also urged Trump to “shift the focus to policy.”
On Friday, Bill White, a donor and Trump associate critical of Kemp, made a $1,000 contribution to Kemp’s political action committee as a goodwill gesture. He noted that he and other donors involved in the Trump-Kemp reconciliation efforts would “continue to help make the relationship a smooth and an enjoyable one.”
“I think the testosterone levels are all back to normal and we're now unified,” White remarked, adding that the message conveyed is that “Gov. Kemp wants President Trump to win and save our country from World War III.”
Several prominent figures involved in the negotiations between Trump and Kemp included former Sen. Kelly Loeffler and her husband, Jeff Sprecher; Brian Jack, a Republican congressional candidate in Georgia and former Trump adviser; Georgia GOP chair Josh McKoon; Graham; Lt. Gov. Burt Jones; and Sonny Perdue, the former Georgia governor and Trump’s agriculture secretary.
Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, also reached out to Kemp during a campaign stop in Georgia on Thursday. “I read the headlines,” Vance told reporters. “Brian Kemp and Donald Trump have had some disagreements. I 100 percent, guarantee you, that Brian Kemp is behind this ticket.”
Following a text exchange with Kemp, initiated by Vance, it was noted that the two share a good rapport according to sources familiar with their interactions.
Republican voters “want Donald Trump to show that he cares more about the cause than his personal grievances,” emphasized Cole Muzio, the president of Frontline Policy Action in Georgia and a Kemp ally. “This was a basic hurdle Trump needed to clear.”
Aarav Patel contributed to this report for TROIB News
