Some Republicans are reportedly worried that President Donald Trump will go off-script during his address on elections integrity Thursday evening and repeat debunked claims about the 2020 election rather than focus on the economy.
Trump, who has long promoted baseless assertions about widespread voter fraud, is addressing the nation at 9 p.m. ET to discuss “free and fair elections.” The president teased a “very big announcement” but has been otherwise coy about the content of his address.
“The people I talk to are scared s***less,” one unnamed former Trump administration official told Politico. “It’s not scared s***less about the text of what he’s going to say; it’s what does he add to the text?”
With roughly three months until the midterm elections, some have hoped that Trump will promote the administration’s wins, such as the new housing bill, its efforts to lower costs for Americans, the new Trump Accounts, tax cuts or other initiatives, the outlet reports.
But instead, the president could choose to use his big speech to rehash old wounds about losing the 2020 election to former President Joe Biden or bolster debunked conspiracy theories.
Republican Senator John Kennedy told Politico he wouldn’t judge the president’s speech just yet, but reiterated that the cost of living and economy are the biggest concerns for most voters.
“That’s what I believe, but he’s the president and he was elected by the people and he can talk about whatever he wants,” Kennedy told the news outlet.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt brushed off “anonymous sources… speculating about what President Trump will say during his speech on Thursday evening.”
“The truth is, nobody knows yet what President Trump will ultimately say, which is why everyone should tune in,” Leavitt said in a statement obtained by Politico.
The Independent has asked the White House for comment.
The unnamed former Trump administration official added that the White House would also prefer that Trump talk about improving economic conditions.
“And any second of the day that’s not spent talking about that right now I’m sure frustrates many in the administration,” the former official told Politico.
While the White House is remaining tight-lipped about the president’s speech, sources told ABC News Thursday morning that Trump plans to focus on “election fraud.”
For years, the president has insisted he unfairly lost the 2020 election to Biden as a result of mass voter fraud, despite there being no widespread evidence of such fraud. His false claims inflamed supporters so much so that thousands stormed the Capitol on January 6, seeking to halt the certification of the election.
Multiple election infrastructure experts, state auditors, federal judges and former members of Trump’s own administration have all concluded the 2020 election was safe and accurate.
Election experts have also consistently assured voters that U.S. elections have been and are secure.
But since returning to power, Trump’s administration has taken unusual steps in reopening inquiries in the 2020 election, sparking concern from lawmakers. Earlier this year, former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard joined FBI agents while they raided an election center in Georgia.
The president has also aggressively pushed Republicans to pass the SAVE Act, which would create federal voter ID laws. However, lawmakers have cast doubt over their ability to secure enough votes.
One unnamed Republican Senate campaign official cautioned Politico that “If [Republicans] spend our time looking in the rearview mirror instead of through the windshield, we’ll drive our coalition right off a political cliff.”
