Lindsey Graham advises Donald Trump to stop campaigning on his 'personality'


Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is playing campaign adviser.
On Thursday, Graham offered President Trump a little advice for his 2020 re-election campaign, The Washington Post's Seung Min Kim reports.
"Just make it more about policy, and less about your personality," Graham said.
Graham, who called then-candidate Trump "a race-baiting xenophobic bigot" who should "go to hell" back in 2015 before flipping to become one of his most outspoken backers in the Senate, has been known to occasionally criticize Trump's style and political strategies.
"Being kind of attached to this lawless crowd is going to be a problem eventually," said Graham, suggesting Trump find a way to focus his message on policy priorities and boost the economy as quickly as possible.
But Trump's personality has always been at the center of his political success. He reportedly loves rallies "as a chance to deliver his message unfiltered," aides told USA Today, meaning it's not likely he plans to tone down his strategy and pivot to a policy-driven campaign any time soon.
Even so, with Trump's numbers against his Democratic competitor, Joe Biden, sinking in poll after poll, he just might need to give Graham's advice a second look.
Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.
-
From Da Vinci to a golden toilet: a history of museum heists
In the Spotlight Following the ‘spectacular’ events at the Louvre, museums are ‘increasingly being targeted by criminal gangs’
-
Can Gen Z uprisings succeed where other protest movements failed?
Today's Big Question Apolitical and leaderless, youth-led protests have real power but are vulnerable to the strongman opportunist
-
The allegations of Christian genocide in Nigeria
The Explainer West African nation has denied claims from US senator and broadcaster
-
DOJ indicts John Bolton over classified files
Speed Read Continuing the trend of going after his political enemies, Trump prosecutes his former national security adviser
-
Trump, Putin set summit as Zelenskyy lands in DC
Speed Read Trump and Putin have agreed to meet in Budapest soon to discuss ending the war in Ukraine
-
Courts deal setbacks to Trump’s Chicago operations
Speed Read President Donald Trump cannot deploy the National Guard in Illinois
-
Pentagon reporters turn in badges after refusing rules
Speed Read They refused to sign a restrictive new press policy imposed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
-
Supreme Court points to gutting Voting Rights Act
speed read States would no longer be required to consider race when drawing congressional maps
-
Trump says he authorized covert CIA ops in Venezuela
Speed Read He is also considering military strikes inside the country
-
‘Vile, racist’ leaked chats roil Young Republicans
Speed Read Leaders of Young Republican groups made racist, antisemitic and violent comments in private chats
-
Trump ties $20B Argentina bailout to Milei votes
speed read Trump will boost Argentina’s economy — if the country’s right-wing president wins upcoming elections