Is Trump Going Soft? Donald Trump returned to Iowa yesterday to shoot at his primary targets – Joe Biden, those pesky criminal allegations that just won’t seem to go away, and of course his number one rival, Ron DeSantis who wrapped up a stop in Iowa just a day prior.
Lay Off the President
However, when it came to President Joe Biden’s apparent cognitive and physical decline, Trump was unusually restrained.
Apparently, prior to the interview with Fox’s Sean Hannity, Trump requested he not “joke about it” telling the host “Honestly, I don’t think it looks good for you or for anybody to joke about it.”
“You can speak about it if you want, but I don’t think you should joke about it.”
The uncharacteristic remarks came at a time when Donald Trump is increasing the intensity of his insults toward now enemy number one, Ron DeSantis.
Offering insight into what to expect in the coming weeks, Trump said of DeSantis “I really go after the one who’s second.”
Biden’s Fall
When told about Biden’s fall at the Air Force Academy graduation earlier in the day and asked for comment, Trump seemed genuinely concerned, despite a few inappropriate chuckles from the audience.
“He did? He just fell on what stage? He’s at the Air Force Academy? He actually fell down? Well I hope he wasn’t hurt. Look, the whole thing is crazy. You gotta be careful about that. You don’t want that. Even if you have to tip toe down a ramp.”
Of course, he then pivoted to his own experience at the Air Force Academy, “That was the best speech I think I’ve ever made. And it was pouring rain and it was horrible and cold and windy and they have a ramp that was … like an ice-skating rink.”
He continued to charm the pants off of his supporters.
“And I was talking to a general … and he has boots on – you know big combat boots, and they’re rubber souls, and I have nice leather, good … and I say … get ready if I grab you … cause I got this stupid ramp somebody put up and there’s no stairs.”
Could we be seeing a smidge of decency from the man who normally has no qualms about serving up the low blows?
Maybe. Then again, maybe not.
What’s In It for Donald Trump?
The cynic in me thinks Trump’s unusual demonstration of empathy is a politically expedient move.
If Trump should make it to the general election, he’ll need some of the votes from typical Biden supporters who are rightly concerned about Biden’s ability to do much of anything, much less lead one of the world’s superpowers.
Laying low on attacks regarding Biden’s age could be a way to not alienate those swing votes Trump will so desperately need to win should it come down to another duel of the two oldest candidates for the White House.
This will be the challenge for both of the GOP’s top primary candidates. Trump and DeSantis need to walk a razor fine line between taking down each other in the primary but not coming across as so extreme or unlikeable that they’ll lose some of the undecided votes in the general.
Then again, Trump, who turns 77 this month is no spring chicken himself. While he’s got the vigor and presence more characteristic of a man in his 60s, he may be facing some health issues himself during his next term, should he make it that far. He may simply be preventing pot shots that could come back to hit him in the face.
For now, I’ll give Trump the benefit of the doubt. No matter the reason, it’s nice to not see him kicking a man when he’s down. Literally.
But I’m not going to hold my breath when it comes to holding back from DeSantis.
Trump’s Low Blow
Already some in Trump’s camp are floating around cruel insinuations that Florida’s top executive is “on the spectrum.”
An article in Politico earlier today claimed, “Autism Advocates Are Dreading a Campaign Season of Insinuations About Ron DeSantis.”
Clearly, the initial comment made by Trump devotee, Steve Bannon, is nothing more than an infantile tactic to draw attention to DeSantis’s more introverted nature, and at times, some uncomfortable public moments.
Luckily, with the exception of some hardcore MAGA disciples like Lara Loomer, the comment didn’t catch enough fire to rip through social media like they had probably hoped. Trump himself remained silent.
What’s interesting is witnessing the lines Donald Trump seems to be drawing for Biden but crossing for DeSantis.
No matter Trump’s strategy, one thing is for sure. We can only expect things to get nastier in the weeks to come.
Jennifer Galardi is the politics and culture editor for 19FortyFive.com. She has a Master’s in Public Policy from Pepperdine University and produces and hosts the podcast Connection with conversations that address health, culture, politics and policy. In a previous life, she wrote for publications in the health, fitness, and nutrition space. In addition, her pieces have been published in the Epoch Times and Pepperdine Policy Review. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter.
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