Sen. Josh Hawley’s latest move to elevate pro-life messaging ahead of the midterm elections has reportedly infuriated President Donald Trump’s top political advisers, who fear the Missouri Republican is steering the party toward a familiar and potentially costly mistake.
According to Axios, backlash erupted inside the Trump White House after Hawley announced last week that he and his wife, constitutional lawyer Erin Hawley, are launching a new political group called the Love Life Initiative. The organization, described as a dark-money group, is intended to promote pro-life causes — a priority Hawley has long championed.
But Trump’s advisers, speaking anonymously to Axios reporter Alex Isenstadt, see Hawley’s move less as party-building and more as self-positioning. “Trump’s lieutenants believe the move by Hawley — a vocal populist who speaks up for the working class — is part of a plan to position himself to challenge Vice President Vance for the presidency in 2028,” Isenstadt reported.
Inside the White House, the reaction has reportedly been sharp. One adviser told Axios that Hawley’s strategy suggests he and his team “learned nothing from the 2022 elections,” when the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade energized Democratic turnout and helped revive the party in the midterms.
A second Trump adviser deeply involved in midterm planning was even more blunt, arguing that the GOP’s path to victory lies elsewhere. The adviser said Republicans should focus on “aggressive action focused on positive gains in the economy,” warning that reopening the abortion debate during a midterm cycle could prove disastrous.
“That alone will be the driving force behind the next election,” the adviser told Axios. “Picking a fight on an issue like abortion in a midterm is the height of asinine stupidity.”
The internal clash underscores a broader tension within the Republican Party. Pro-life messaging remains deeply popular with the GOP base, and Hawley’s move is likely to resonate with social conservatives who see abortion as a defining moral issue. But party strategists focused on winning competitive races worry about the broader electorate.
Recent Gallup polling shows that 51% of Americans identify as pro-choice, compared with 43% who call themselves pro-life. That imbalance has made abortion a politically precarious issue for Republicans, particularly in swing states and nationally competitive districts where elections are often decided by narrow margins.
Trump’s advisers appear determined to avoid repeating past mistakes, insisting that economic performance — not cultural flashpoints — should dominate the party’s message heading into the midterms. With inflation, jobs, and growth expected to shape voter priorities, they see Hawley’s initiative as a distraction that could hand Democrats an opening.
At the same time, the controversy has fueled speculation about Hawley’s long-term ambitions. By launching a national advocacy group and pushing an issue central to conservative identity, Hawley is drawing attention to himself — and, according to Trump allies, potentially setting the stage for a future showdown within the party.
For now, the dispute highlights an uneasy balancing act for Republicans: energizing the base without alienating persuadable voters. As the midterms approach, Trump’s inner circle appears determined to keep the focus on economic gains, even as figures like Hawley push the party to fight on ideological terrain that many strategists believe is fraught with risk.
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