President Trump told voters Wednesday that managing the border is the hardest job he has ever held. While hosting a celebration for Hispanic Heritage Month at the White House, he admitted this reality. The surprising fact is that the man asking for their votes just called his own policy a political liability.
A Hard Truth at the White House
Trump made this confession during an event meant to court Latino support ahead of the November midterm elections. He told the crowd that critics will always complain no matter what choice he makes. About his dealings with the border, he stated, “Frankly, it’s the hardest job that I’ve had”
He explained that people will claim he is too tough or too soft regardless of his actions. “The hardest job, because they’ll say you’re too tough or you’re too soft. Get tougher, get softer. No matter what you do.”
The President also blamed the previous administration for the chaos he now faces. He claimed leaders of South America saw an open border under Joe Biden and sent dangerous people into the country. Their prisons were emptied, their mental institutions were emptied, and their drug dealers were removed. They just sent them into our country. It was crazy.
Why Latino Support Is Waning
Despite Trump winning a record share of the Hispanic vote in his second term, recent data shows a sharp drop in support. A September poll conducted by the New York Times and Siena University revealed that over 65% of Hispanics are displeased with his job performance.
That same poll indicated 78% of this group would rather see the Democratic Party control Congress. Mike Madrid, a Republican political consultant known for his expertise in Latino trends, warned that the President has gone too far. He told the New York Post that Trump “dramatically overreached and he’s going to pay for it politically.”
The New York Times/Siena University data suggests that many Latinos know this risk and plan to vote Democrat or stay home.
The White House Pushback
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is of Cuban descent, attended the event to defend the administration’s record. He stated that the new foreign policy agenda prioritizes safety and security for the region. “Under the Trump Administration we are seeing the implementation of a foreign policy agenda that is once and for all prioritizing our region’s safety and security,” Rubio said.
Rubio also highlighted efforts to hold foreign terrorist organizations accountable and restore an economic agenda for Hispanic Americans. “From the creation of the Shield of the Americas, to holding accountable Foreign Terrorist Organizations, and restoring an economic agenda that works for Hispanic Americans, we remain committed to working and winning for the American people”
The White House official confirmed that Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and his Latina wife will also be at the event.
