Trump campaign slams Senate GOP for memo advising candidates 'don't defend Trump' on COVID-19 response

Trump and Mitch McConnell — (Image credit: Erin Schaff-Pool/Getty Images)

President Trump has not gotten the steep polling bump other Western leaders and proactive U.S. governors have seen as they fight the COVID-19 pandemic, and in fact, more Americans disapprove than approve of Trump's coronavirus response, probably feeding a drop in his overall approval rating and electoral standing. But any Republican candidates who fail to defend Trump's coronavirus handling will pay a price, the Trump campaign told the National Republican Senatorial Committee on Monday, Politico reports.

Last week, Politico and The Washington Post reported that a 57-page memo prepared by GOP strategist Brett O'Donnell's consulting firm advised Senate candidates that when asked about the pandemic, "don't defend Trump, other than the China Travel Ban — attack China." When pressed, the candidates should respond: "I wish that everyone acted earlier — that includes our elected officials, the World Health Organization, and the CDC." The NRSC distributed the memo to Republican campaigns.

The Trump campaign was furious, and top officials — including campaign manager Brad Parscale, communications director Tim Murtaugh, and political advisers Justin Clark, Bill Stepien, and Chris Carr — expressed their displeasure to the NRSC, Politico reports. "Candidates will listen to the bad advice in this memo at their own peril," Clark said in a statement. "President Trump enjoys unprecedented support among Republican voters," and GOP candidates "who want to win will be running with the president."

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Underscoring his point, NRSC executive director Kevin McLaughlin insisted Monday "there is no daylight between the NRSC and President Trump" and GOP Senate candidates aren't being advised to not defend Trump's response. O'Donnell issued a similar statement: "I never advise candidates not to defend the president, and the media shouldn't take one line out of context." Democrats would have to pick up four seats to win a majority in the Senate, and that no longer seems implausible.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.