Trump barred from campaign trail GOP as 'privately admit' they’re in a bind

U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., September 2, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

Set for Tuesday, November 3, the 2026 midterms are less than two months away. Former CNN host Jim Acosta told MS NOW's Alicia Menendez that Republicans he's been talking to view President Donald Trump as an "albatross" who has "hung the Republican Party out to dry." But according to Politico, GOP candidates are in a bind — seeing Trump as a liability on the campaign trail but also afraid to publicly criticize or offend him.

Politico reporters Andrew Howard, Meredith Lee Hill and Erin Doherty explain, "President Donald Trump wants to be heavily involved in Republicans' midterm push. They're not all thrilled. As Trump begins to unveil his midterm campaign plans, many Republicans facing tough elections — even in areas the president carried by double digits in 2024 — are wary of tying themselves too closely to Trump as his approval rating continues to drag."

The journalists continue, "Many privately admit they're stuck in an uncomfortable spot: By running too far from Trump, Republicans risk alienating the MAGA faithful or the president himself, whose super PAC is sitting on more than $400 million they desperately need deployed to help them win key races. But if the candidates keep Trump close, they could be dragged down by the president, as the unpopular war in Iran has increased costs for Americans across the country."

Howard, Hill and Doherty report that according to three Politico sources, "top GOP pollsters" have "advised some vulnerable Republican incumbents and candidates to not talk about Trump on the campaign trail, or at least limit their direct references to the president."

Interviewed on condition of anonymity, a Republican described by the reporters as someone "involved in a competitive House GOP race in a district where Trump won by double digits" told Politico, "We've told them he cannot come. Candidly, he would not be helpful here … I do not believe they would send him without our OK. And if they did, we probably wouldn't campaign with him."

Another House Republican facing a competitive race and quoted anonymously, described conversations with GOP operatives — saying, "Some of the guidance has been, 'You're f– – if you mention him too much, and you’re also f–– if you don't stay in his good graces.' So that is the problem."

A GOP operative told Politico that Trump is more helpful in deep red states and districts than he is swing states and districts.

According to the operative, "Trump is still the most powerful turnout motivator for low-propensity Republicans or Trump Republicans, and so, I think campaigns will and should use him and his brand in targeted ways like mail, digital, or text. But I'm not going to try to bring him to town if he's underwater and it's going to hurt us with a majority of voters."

Another GOP operative argued that "running away" from Trump "is a failure" because he is so closely identified with the Republican Party.

The operative told Politico, "We can't turn around now and pretend that we don't know him. Anyone who tries to distance themselves after hugging, you just can't get away with that. All you're gonna do is piss off the MAGA lovers, who we still need to keep in the family … Every cycle people try to do that, and it looks disingenuous. At this point, Trump is baked into everything."

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