President Donald Trump is increasingly focused on ventures intended to leave a lasting mark, raising concerns among Republicans who are worried about a major test in the near future – November’s midterm elections – according to a new report. Much of the 80-year-old president’s time is consumed by a lengthy list of construction projects, including a 90,000-square-foot White House ballroom and a planned 250-foot victory arch on the banks of the Potomac River. His fixation is on how future generations — rather than current voters — will view him, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing his aides.
Summing this preoccupation up, a senior administration official said that Trump is in his “legacy mode.” The president has publicly embraced viewing himself through the long lens of history. This week, he posted a chart ranking the greatest U.S. presidents and placed himself above George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. And, in a video posted on Truth Social earlier this summer, Trump’s face is seen carved into Mount Rushmore, and he says: “I will be the greatest president for many, many years to come.” The White House disputed that the GOP president has his eyes set on the far-off future.
He added: “When all is said and done, this president will undoubtedly go down as the most successful and consequential president in modern American history.” Meanwhile, many Republicans are focused on the fast-approaching midterm elections, which will determine control of the House and Senate for the remainder of the president’s term. Historically, the president’s party loses seats in these elections. Some Republicans have urged the president to devote more attention to the races.
Trump’s own advisers have also spent months pressing him to focus more on the U.S. economy, which polls show is one of voters’ top concerns, the outlet reported. When Trump does talk about the midterms, he has often urged voters to treat the election as a referendum on him. Next month, he is also set to host the first-ever GOP midterm convention.
While the president believes his record — including the tax cuts enacted through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — will resonate with voters, he carries significant political baggage. His approval rating, according to recent polls, remains near historic lows. His tariffs, a cornerstone of his economic policy, are broadly unpopular and have been reined in by the Supreme Court.
And one of the largest undertakings of his second term, the war with Iran, has dragged on for months without clear signs of ending. Multiple polls indicate that most Americans oppose the conflict. Speaking to the Journal, conservative podcaster Tucker Carlson said: “He chose his legacy, and it’s the war with Iran, the fall of the American empire, and the destruction of the U.S. economy.” The Independent has contacted the White House for comment.
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