Former President Donald Trump didn’t have a great midterm election season. Many of his picks lost and the massive “red wave” polls indicated didn’t really happen.
One of Trump’s biggest losses came in Pennsylvania, where John Fetterman beat GOP challenger Dr. Mehmet Oz. Oz had been previously endorsed by Trump, and Republicans wanted that seat.
But now, it sounds like #45 is shifting blame for that pick — and it’s landing on his wife.
Melania Trump hasn’t been particularly vocal about politics and elections since leaving the White House. Many also believed she had little influence over her husband’s presidential decisions.
However, Trump is now saying Melania’s the one who convinced him to go for Dr. Oz.
According to New York Times journalist Maggie Haberman, the former POTUS might not have wanted Oz, and the only reason he endorsed the Republican challenger was because Melania liked him.
As Haberman posted on Twitter:
Trump is indeed furious this morning, particularly about Mehmet Oz, and is blaming everyone who advised him to back Oz — including his wife, describing it as not her best decision, according to people close to him.
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) November 9, 2022
Citing “people close to him,” Haberman claims Donald Trump isn’t willing to accept the blame for this loss.
And it’s true that according to multiple reports earlier in 2022, it was Melania that had encouraged Donald to support Oz. So, Trump went with the celebrity doctor instead of challenger David McCormick.
A Republican insider told NBC News in March that the former First Lady told Donald “she likes Dr. Oz” and “that matters.”
Before the midterm voting began, Trump was quoted as saying that if Republicans win, he would take the credit. But if they lost, he’d assume none of the blame.
This could lead to a seismic shift in GOP leadership.
Up until now, most polls showed Trump as the undisputed leader of the party, and it’s likely he’ll announce a second presidential campaign on November 15. But the tide is changing.
At this point, it looks like more of an uphill battle for the former President, while Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is surging in popularity.
If Trump continues to play the blame game and the GOP cools on him, it’s very possible that DeSantis will be the Republican candidate for 2024.
Key Takeaways:
- Former President Donald Trump evidently blames his wife for picking Dr. Mehmet Oz.
- Those close to Trump say it’s Melania who wanted Oz, and convinced her husband to endorse him over challenger David McCormick.
- Trump’s popularity appears to be plummeting after midterms, which could change everything for 2024.
Source: Washington Examiner
