Trump’s Own Party at Risk? His Moves Confuse Even Allies

The first postal ballots for the US midterm elections were sent out this week. The vote will decide control of Congress for the next two years. Yet President Donald Trump’s recent behavior suggests he may not care if Republicans lose—or might even want them to. That idea sounds extreme. But there are at least two reasons to consider it. First, Trump’s actions look like deliberate self-harm for his party. Second, his deep narcissism means he could twist a Democratic win into proof of his own importance. If Republicans lose, Trump could claim he was the only one who could save them. In his mind, defeat would make him look indispensable. Meanwhile, his decisions—on policy, messaging, and candidate support—keep pushing voters away. Experts often say to understand any group, assume it is run by its enemies. Apply that to the White House, and Trump’s midterm strategy starts to make a strange kind of sense. He is not acting like a man fighting to win. He is acting like a man preparing an excuse. The result is confusion among Republican allies and opportunity for Democrats. With early voting already underway, the clock is ticking. Whether Trump’s behavior is careless or calculated, the outcome may be the same: a damaged party and a president who blames everyone but himself.