One of President Trump’s top advisers is leaving the White House to better prepare for a potentially difficult midterms cycle.
James Blair, a deputy chief of staff, is taking over Mr. Trump’s outside political operation and its $300 million-plus budget, Mr. Trump said Friday on social media. The move is an indicator of how Mr. Trump and his allies are preparing for the November midterms, in which Democrats see a ripe opportunity to win back control of the House and perhaps the Senate. Mr. Trump and his team have sought to ensure he has personnel working full time on his political matters.
The role, which Mr. Trump said would be temporary, puts the Florida-trained operative at the controls of a political team expected to have to battle tough headwinds against the Republican Party in November. Polls show the president’s approval rating is in negative territory, posing a challenge for Republican candidates.
Mr. Blair will return to the White House after the midterms, Mr. Trump said. “James never wavered from the fight because he is a Political WARRIOR! Now, James will be taking a short leave of absence to lead the charge from the outside against the Radical Left, Country Destroying Democrats,” he wrote on Truth Social.
Mr. Blair, a longtime lieutenant to Susie Wiles, the chief of staff, effectively oversaw much of Mr. Trump’s political strategy from inside the walls of the White House, including endorsements and efforts to boost Republicans through redistricting. Now, on the outside, Mr. Blair will have the flexibility to work full time on politics now that he is off the government payroll, serving as the muscle alongside existing Trump advisers, such as Chris LaCivita, a former campaign manager.
How much Mr. Trump plans to engage in the midterms has been one of the big questions hanging over the Republican Party’s political strategy. Republicans have struggled to lure Trump voters without Mr. Trump atop the ballot.
Some senior Republicans also remain in the dark on whether Mr. Trump plans to tap the $312 million in MAGA Inc., his super PAC, to help the party. Never before has a term-limited president raised so much money into an outside group.
Theodore Schleifer is a Times reporter covering billionaires and their impact on the world.
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