Donald Trump promised a “sober campaign focus” starting Monday, with a major speech on his economic and trade policy to the Detroit Economic Club.
But although the speech was well-received, Trump was quick to reassure Republicans—who were breathing a small sigh of relief at their candidate’s composure—that his shift was merely temporary. In a Tuesday morning interview with Fox Business, Trump said he’d make no strategic shifts.
“I think that you know my temperament has gotten me here. I’ve always had a good temperament and it’s gotten me here,” he insisted. “I certainly don’t think it is appropriate to start changing all of a sudden when you have been winning.”
He certainly drove the point home when, during a speech Tuesday afternoon, Trump appeared to go off-the-cuff yet again, making a statement that critics interpreted as a threat of violence against Hillary Clinton.
The true meaning behind the statement is vague—the verbiage matches some Republican talking points on aggressive gun rights litigation—but without any caveat that it’s a legal argument. But one thing is clear: Donald Trump intends to go on being Donald Trump, regardless of what the polls, and his close advisers, say.
Trump has suffered a series of setbacks since his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention, with Clinton opening up a double-digit lead in polls. Clinton now also leads in key swing states, including North Carolina.
In the week following the DNC, Trump got caught up in a war of words with a Gold Star father, and vowed to attack his Republican colleagues, though his focus should be on Clinton.
The angry rhetoric turned voters off, and, shockingly, Clinton even saw her negatives decline, as voters began to compare her to Trump.
He’s also had several high-profile Republicans decline to support his campaign. Sen. Susan Collins is the latest politico to stand up to the GOP and rebuke Trump, but several members of the House have shied away from Trump’s controversial statements. Rep. Paul Ryan tussled with the nominee last week over an endorsement Ryan didn’t need or want.
But Trump insists that no change should be made, no intervention is needed, and his approach is working —even if the numbers don’t seem to reflect his positive attitude. Most disappointed are probably fellow Republicans who had held out hope until last week that Trump was just waiting for the right moment to get serious.