President Donald Trump said in an interview released Friday that voters are angry at Republicans, but not at him, and he again pressed party lawmakers to vote to impose voting restrictions as part of his SAVE America Act.
Speaking to Punchbowl News on Thursday, Trump said he is working hard to make sure the GOP wins the midterm elections and holds on to its majority in Congress and that there is anger among the electorate at Republicans.
“The question is, will they vote?” Trump said about voters come November. “Because a lot of them are very angry at Republicans, to be honest with you.”
He said he did not know why voters are upset.
“I mean, they’re angry at Republicans, but they’re not angry at me,” he said.
A string of recent polls indicate that voters are, in fact, unhappy with Trump. His approval rating continues to dip, especially in battleground states, and even among Republicans. Many Americans have pointed to the Iran war — now in its sixth month — fluctuating gas prices and the higher costs of groceries and other goods as sore spots.
Trump’s interview on Thursday touched on a range of topics, including his calls to terminate the Senate filibuster, his relationships with Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s nomination to the permanent job.
Trump praised Johnson, saying they “get a lot of things passed” despite Republicans’ razor-thin majority in the House. But he declined to commit to backing Thune for another term as Senate majority leader.
“Well, I don’t want to get into that,” Trump said when asked about Thune. He said they get along despite their disagreements, but he suggested that the South Dakota Republican’s rejection of his calls to end the Senate filibuster, which has prevented the passage of the SAVE Act, was at issue.
Trump spoke effusively about Blanche in the interview and reiterated that he would remain as attorney general in an acting capacity if he does not have the votes to be confirmed. Although Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine — two Republicans who have repeatedly bucked Trump — came out against Blanche before Trump’s interview, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., on Friday announced his support for Blanche, effectively assuring that Trump’s former personal attorney will be confirmed by the Senate.
Trump said he does not regret antagonizing congressional Republicans who have not fallen in line with his demands, even though it makes it harder to pass his agenda through Congress. But he denied claims that he does not care about the GOP majority in Congress and said he is “fighting hard” to make sure Republicans keep their seats.
“It’s very important for the country that we win because you have people getting in office right now who will destroy this country,” Trump said, pointing to Michigan’s progressive Democratic Senate nominee, Abdul El-Sayed.
He also described it as “the craziest thing” that a president’s party has historically lost the midterm elections.
“So even if you did a great job as president, they seem to lose,” Trump said. “That’s the only thing that I have going against us.”
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