The United States has recently launched a military operation in Venezuela and taken the country's leader, Nicolas Maduro, to New York. US President Donald Trump is paying so much attention to the issue that some White House advisers and Republican lawmakers are angry. They believe that Trump should be focusing more on issues such as the country's economy and health care, with the upcoming election in mind, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters.
With rising commodity prices and Trump's handling of the US economy already unsatisfied with the general public, Trump's allies fear that too much talk about foreign policy could spell bad news for the Republican Party in the November midterm elections, which could lead to the party losing control of Congress.
A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Trump is being pressured by White House Chief of Staff Suzie Wills, his chief of staff James Blair and US Vice President J.D. Vance to focus more on domestic issues.
J.D. Vance has been the most vocal on this issue in his meetings with Trump, consistently urging him to focus on the everyday problems of ordinary people.
Several top White House advisers have expressed public frustration since the U.S. invasion of Venezuela last week. One senior official said that while inflation has eased somewhat, voters are now worried about the high cost of housing, food and health insurance, while Trump and his top aides continue to discuss international issues.
When asked about the issue, the White House said Trump has always prioritized the economy. Citing his announcement this week to lower housing costs, spokeswoman Anna Kelly said, "The president's foreign policy has always been based on the principle of 'America First.' The president will always work to bring investment and benefits back to our country."
A Vance spokesman said the vice president has consistently supported Trump's foreign and domestic policies. However, Suzie Wills and James Blair did not respond to requests for comment.
Concerns about Trump's priorities are nothing new. In recent weeks, Trump has made veiled threats to annex Greenland and Panama, ordered bombings in Syria and Nigeria, and spent time preoccupied with resolving the Ukraine-Russia war. He has threatened the Iranian government with a "severe blow" if it shoots protesters.
The White House had planned to focus more on domestic issues, with Trump traveling around the country to address the problems of ordinary people. But in reality, he has been more preoccupied with foreign policy. US officials say that this is a crucial election year, making it even more urgent to focus on domestic issues.
Donald Trump promised to control inflation during his election campaign, but he recently said that the issue of the decline in purchasing power of the common man is nothing more than a hoax by the Democratic Party.
White House officials said they have shown Trump surveys, polls and social media posts at several White House economic meetings since November that show voters' deep concerns about the cost of living and Trump's handling of the economy. Officials have urged him to focus on economic issues in his public speeches.
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Trump, however, is not paying much attention to these concerns. He has told officials that the US economy is currently strong. He has warned that focusing too much on the economy means falling into the trap of Democrats, who will give them the opportunity to belittle his (Trump's) achievements.
Trump also claimed that the current high inflation is due to various policies adopted by his predecessor, Joe Biden.
Trump announced on Saturday that the United States would "run" Venezuela. The White House has been flooded with calls from Republican lawmakers since then, insisting that Trump should run his own country, not another country, one official said.
The president's party typically struggles to hold onto congressional seats in midterm elections. Trump's Republican Party currently holds a slim majority in both houses of Congress. This election could be a tough test for the party, given the deep anger and anxiety among voters about the economy.
Trump was re-elected on his "America First" agenda, in which he promised to keep the United States out of the problems or conflicts of other countries and to strengthen the economy.
Trump's supporters still support his intervention in Venezuela, but such foreign policy is not very effective as a tool for winning congressional elections.
According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, one in three US adults approved of Trump's economic management in December, his lowest rating in the past year.
A poll this week found that very few people supported Trump's attack on Venezuela, although support among Republicans initially stood at 65 percent.
Republican lawmakers, while publicly supporting Trump's foreign interventions, privately question why Trump is not paying more attention to the country's domestic affairs.
"He needs to focus on what voters care about. They're concerned about everyday problems, not about changing governments in any country," said a Republican strategist who spoke on condition of anonymity.
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