How low is morale in the White House nowadays? Some of President Trump's aides think it's at the lowest point since he took office, The New York Times reports.
The officials, most of whom spoke with the Times on condition of anonymity, said the coronavirus pandemic and nationwide protests have stalled the enthusiasm Trump showed when he was running for office in 2016. As far back as early April, several current and former aides said, Trump realized how serious the public health and economic crises stemming from the virus were, leaving them to doubt whether he was excited about overseeing the country pulling out of the recession, especially since he's reportedly never seemed to enjoy his presidential duties as much as he did winning the election.
Trump is certainly going to continue his re-election bid against the Democratic challenger, former Vice President Joe Biden, but some advisers reportedly aren't sure if he's truly interested in it. In recent weeks, the president has spent a lot of time complaining about the criticism he's received over his response to George Floyd's death, which he felt he handled well, the Times reports. Some staff members said the commander-in-chief is simply lonely, with few people he genuinely enjoys talking to. Read more at The New York Times.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.