President Donald Trump hit back at longtime Republican strategist Karl Rove on Friday, dismissing Rove’s warning that the president’s midterm rallies could backfire with some voters.
Trump made the remarks while speaking with reporters as he departed the White House.
“I’m just curious. Do you feel like the strategy is working? I know he’s not your favorite, but Karl Rove had an article the other day in the Journal, and he said that there’s a chance of backlash. Do you think the rally is the best strategy so close to the midterm?” a reporter asked the president.
The president didn’t hold back.
“Look, you have Karl Rove. He’s a loser. He’s proven he’s been a loser all his life,” Trump said of the former Bush aide, who helped run two winning presidential campaigns.
“Karl Rove doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” Trump continued.
TRUMP TOUTS RALLY IMPACT
The president went on to argue that his appearances have been a boost for Republican candidates wherever he goes.
“Look, every single place I’ve gone to, every single place, whether people were losing, that were expected to win. When I’m leaving, look at Ohio, how much better he’s doing. Look at everyone,” Trump claimed.
He pointed to his stop in Iowa the night before as another example.
“Look at Iowa last night with Ashley. She’s… they just came out with numbers right now,” Trump said.
The president also described the crowds he has drawn on the campaign trail.
“Every place I’m going to, every place is full, loaded with people, lines outside trying to get in,” he said. “I’m going to Fort Myers right now. They say there’s a line of people that’s five miles long.”
“Every place I’ve gone to, I’ve helped, and every, every place wants me,” Trump added. “The one problem is I’m one person. This is a lot of work.”
ROVE’S WARNING
Trump’s comments came in response to a column Rove published Wednesday in The Wall Street Journal titled “Trump Takes His 2026 Midterm Show on the Road.”
In the piece, Rove cautioned that Trump’s “omnipresence” on the campaign trail is a “risk.”
“It’s too soon to know if this bet will pay off, but it carries real risks. The rallies keep him in the headlines, but as a partisan figure in a midterm election in which voters render their verdict on him. His biggest fans would probably vote anyway. Less enthusiastic supporters are the ones whose votes Republicans need,” Rove argued.
TWO VIEWS OF THE STRATEGY
The exchange highlights a sharp split over how the president should approach the final stretch before the midterms.
Rove’s argument centers on the idea that keeping Trump in the headlines as a partisan figure may do little to move the voters Republicans most need, since the president’s strongest supporters would likely turn out regardless.
Trump, on the other hand, insists his rallies are paying off, pointing to packed venues, long lines and what he described as improved standing for candidates in places like Ohio and Iowa after his visits.
As he headed to Fort Myers on Friday, the president made clear he has no plans to change course.
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