Trump, 78, hasn’t gone completely underground. Since Biden’s poor debate performance in late June, he has given a few radio interviews, appeared at rallies in Virginia and Florida, and posted regularly on Truth Social.
“The radical left Democrats are divided and confused,” Trump said at a campaign rally in Miami on Tuesday. “They can’t decide who is more unfit to be president: sleepy, crooked Joe Biden or smiling Kamala.”
He also challenged the president to a golf game, claimed all American airports are dirty, said visitors to Washington, D.C. end up “shot, robbed and raped,” claimed 45,000 people showed up to an event in Miami when 700 showed up, and wondered why “we don't eat bacon anymore.”
But experts say the GOP is showing restraint compared to past behavior, and some have suggested the Trump campaign may be delaying the vice presidential pick to avoid distracting from Mr. Biden’s problems.
“If you compare the strategy and execution of this campaign to the strategy and execution of 2016 and 2020, it’s much more strategic and disciplined,” said Kevin Madden, a Republican communications expert who helped Mitt Romney run for president.
As Democrats split over Biden's candidacy, Corey Lewandowski, Trump's 2016 campaign manager, said after the debate that Trump's approach was effective.
“The Trump campaign did a great job of self-destructing the Biden campaign,” he said.
