GOP strategists 'tearing their hair out' as Trump insiders feed him bad data

U.S. President Donald Trump attends a roundtable focused on tax cuts in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., April 16, 2026. (Photo: REUTERS/Evan Vucci)

President Donald Trump's numbers are so bad that a recent report suggests that his staff are trying to shield him by feeding him positive information about Iran. Meanwhile, a new Fox News poll shows just how much of a drag Trump is on Republicans running for office.

The New Republic's Greg Sargent spoke with Democratic strategist Caitlin Legacki on Friday about some of the U.S. Senate races and where they stand as the midterm election nears.

New Fox News polls show damaging numbers for Republican candidates in several states, Legacki said. One of the things that the survey also examined is where Trump stands in states where Senate candidates are struggling to keep their heads above water.

"In Maine, it’s 39 to 60. That’s 21 points underwater. In Texas, it’s 45 to 54, nine points underwater in Texas. In North Carolina, it’s 40 to 59, 19 points underwater in North Carolina. And in Iowa, it’s 42 to 55, which is 13 points underwater. Trump won three of those states, two by double digits. I don’t know what to make of numbers like this," said Sargent.

Legacki explained that Trump's broken promises are weighing heavily on the minds of voters who may have cast ballots against Democrats in 2024. Sargent wondered if it was Iran or tariffs that were impacting the numbers, but Legacki said it's everything.

"Almost every single thing he’s done has actually increased costs — whether it’s unnecessary tariffs on allies like Canada, or, you know, needlessly bombing Iran and shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, which has caused some of the highest gas prices we’ve seen in decades," she said.

She noted that Iran is probably the most "glaring" issue.

Earlier this week,The Atlantic's Jonathan Lemire reported that Trump is angry, "furiously" telling his staff that Iran is acting in "bad faith." So, his staff has responded by feeding Trump data that supposedly shows that if he waits things out, they're certain to surrender.

Sargent joked, "Sir, sir, absolutely, you’re doing the right thing by doing nothing!"

"So they’re basically telling him right now that doing nothing is a very smart plan, really shrewd on his part. And you can kind of see that manifesting itself in Trump constantly saying things like, 'I’ve got nothing but time.' And it’s like, behind the scenes, Republican Senate strategists must be tearing their hair out," he added.

Legacki agreed and noted that it's a key problem for leaders who surround themselves with "yes-men" unwilling to deliver hard truths. The first Trump administration was filled with advisers who were willing to quit their jobs and make a public statement if Trump went forward with some of his worst instincts.

"In the second administration, it’s all sycophants. And what that means is, like, we know he’s being given bad data," said Legacki. "We know people are using that to push their personal political agendas. And the people that are suffering most are American families, and then the families that are being bombed in Iran and elsewhere, simply because, you know, we kind of have a sucker for a president right now."

It has become a problem for Senators, she said, as Trump is dragging Republican lawmakers down with him.

One example is Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine). A key argument she must make for reelection is that she's somehow been a "check" on Trump's presidency. But she hasn't been. During Trump's first term, she voted with him 90 percent of the time, Politifact reported. In Trump's second term, it has only increased. As of February, Collins was voting with Trump 96 percent of the time. As of June, that voting record dropped to 95 percent with Trump. The Portland Press Herald reported this week that the new Fox poll shows voters find this problematic.

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