The Trump campaign has pivoted to promoting the president’s work on tackling the coronavirus and fact-checking the media as it adapts to an election season turned upside down by a deadly pandemic.
Some allied groups are pondering when and whether to push ahead with a massive slate of Joe Biden attack ads that they planned to unleash in the weeks ahead.
“It would be just a massive waste of money right now when people have life and death concerns,” said a source familiar with the strategy of America First Action PAC.
It means Trump allies are sticking with earned media in the form of surrogate TV appearances and social media feeds to get their message across.
Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh declined to discuss advertising strategy but said: “We know Americans want to see their president leading and taking every action possible to protect this country, and that’s what President Trump is doing. At the campaign, we amplify that.
“At the same time, we have to stay on top of Joe Biden and the Democrats and repel their attacks and keep on top of the mainstream media’s erroneous reporting.”
Campaign rallies are on hold, supporter events are being turned into virtual seminars, and there currently is no paid advertising going out as officials adjust to the disruption.
Instead, officials are using their Twitter feeds to call out what they see as inaccurate reporting and reminding readers of Trump’s efforts to shore up the economy and prevent the virus spreading.
President Trump is fighting for Americans every day!
His second coronavirus relief law provides free testing to all Americans, and makes sure families, workers, and businesses impacted by the Chinese virus are taken care of. pic.twitter.com/Lcanc690kb
— Trump War Room – Text TRUMP to 88022 (@TrumpWarRoom) March 19, 2020
Meanwhile, America First Action has yet to decide what to do with a $300 million war chest it expected to spend on turning its opposition research into Biden attack ads, defining the presumptive Democratic nominee ahead of the election.
“Right now, what we’re doing is earned media, amplifying the president’s message, making sure that everyone is aware of the actions the task force is taking, reinforcing the White House messaging while going after China for what they have done, muzzling doctors for warning that this was a highly contagious virus,” said the source.
At times, the president has not been able to resist taking his own digs at Biden. During a news briefing by the White House coronavirus task force on Wednesday, he claimed he was “beating Sleepy Joe Biden by a lot in Florida.”
But advisers said the campaign has taken a back seat.
“The president made clear he is a wartime president, and the war is this Chinese virus,” said one. “So, anything we message about Biden right now won’t make a dent in anyone’s psyche.”
For now, the attacks are limited to his stance on China.
“It’s a compare and contrast,” this source said. “And we are upping our fact-checking on the media for stories that are false and potentially dangerous for people sitting at home, sucking all this information in.”
