Trump Boosts Campaign Team Ahead of News Conference at NJ Golf Club

Former President Donald Trump held a press conference at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, marking his second such event within two weeks. This comes in the wake of an invigorated Democratic ticket, with next week’s Democratic National Convention on the horizon.

On the same day as the conference, Trump’s campaign team announced an expansion of his staff, incorporating several former aides and outside advisers into the campaign. Key figures joining Trump’s team include Corey Lewandowski, Taylor Budowich, Alex Pfeiffer, Alex Bruesewitz, and Tim Murtaugh, who will support the campaign’s senior leadership.

Lewandowski previously served as Trump’s campaign manager during the 2016 presidential race. Both Budowich and Pfeiffer are transferring from MAGA Inc., a pro-Trump super PAC, while Bruesewitz is known for producing pro-Trump content that has gained substantial traction on social media. Murtaugh held the role of communications director for Trump’s 2020 campaign.

Summer has traditionally been a period of change within Trump’s campaigns. This year’s staff shakeup follows President Joe Biden’s surprising decision to end his reelection bid and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris, thereby altering the dynamics of the upcoming election.

During the conference scheduled for 4:30 p.m. EDT, Trump intended to intensify his criticism of Harris, particularly for her lack of significant engagement with the press since Biden’s endorsement.

Harris has had limited interactions with reporters since being named the Democratic nominee. Although she travels with the press on Air Force Two, her responses are often limited to answering questions shouted by reporters as she boards or departs from the plane for various campaign events.

In a recent brief encounter with the media, Harris expressed her desire to schedule an interview by the end of the month.

At a rally in North Carolina the previous week, Trump seemingly strayed from his intended message during what was promoted as a significant economic address. He spoke about plans to reduce energy prices and foster economic growth but also veered off into familiar tangents.

Trump voiced his disapproval regarding the Democrats’ decision to place Harris as the lead candidate, disparaging her hometown of San Francisco—where she served as district attorney—by labeling it “unlivable.” He engaged in personal attacks against Harris, questioning her intelligence and ridicule her laughter while implying that the Democratic Party was overly focused on political correctness for promoting her as the first Black woman and person of South Asian descent in a vice-presidential role.

According to a recent poll conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, Americans appear to have greater trust in Trump regarding economic issues and immigration. These topics are central to Trump’s argument for resuming his position in the White House.

In his previous news conference, Trump took a jab at Harris and boasted about the crowd at the January 6, 2021, rally. He also dismissively responded to questions about the enthusiasm surrounding Harris’s campaign, speaking for over an hour and making a series of false and misleading statements.

Thursday’s news conference was set to be livestreamed, aiming to attract a considerable audience amidst the evolving political landscape.

Source: Associated Press