Trumpworld’s DNC counter-programming plans revealed

Republicans are convening at Trump’s hotel in Chicago for events highlighting border security issues, inflation and crime – while Kamala Harris takes center stage at the DNC

Republicans will join the swathes of Democrats descending on Chicago this week as Trumpworld tries to find a way to blunt Kamala Harris's momentum.

As the four-day Democratic National Convention gets under way in the Windy City, Donald Trump and his allies are making plans for counter-programming to the event.

Trump's Chicago hotel will become the epicenter of the Republican world as his allies including Florida Senator Rick Scott and his colleague in the House, Byron Donalds, are among those who will lead the GOP's efforts to counter-program the convention.

Themes of the four-day event at the Trump hotel will include immigration, crime and the economy, and will mirror issues being spoken about at the DNC in order to drive home the Republican party’s message.

Trump campaign spokespeople Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita issued a statement on Sunday: “At the DNC, Kamala Harris will hide behind celebrities because everyday families know that she has been an absolute disaster for our nation, and real Americans are worse off now than four years ago.

“Harris has failed to answer media questions for 28 days because she can’t explain away her record of supporting policies that cause inflation, bans on private health insurance, destroying American energy, and higher taxes.”

They went on to note that Trump and running mate JD Vance will host rallies and smaller “messaging events” around the country as Democrats are concentrated in Chicago.

Donald Trump has brought on a number of former campaign advisors as he seeks to reinvigorate his flagging 2024 bid for the presidency (AP)

Trump’s schedule for the week is more packed than it has been in months, with events featuring him and Vance every day. He’ll cap off the week Friday with events in Arizona and Nevada.

“As they meet Americans where they are in battleground states across the country, President Trump and Senator Vance will remind voters that under their leadership, we can end inflation, protect our communities from violent criminals, secure the border, and Make America Great Again,” said LaCivita and Wiles.

The United Center will host the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this week from Monday to Thursday (Getty Images)

It’s an attempt by the former president to push Harris out of the spotlight as her party’s convention is set to be a four-day cheerleading session highlighting Democratic victories over the past three years while also portraying Trump himself as a threat to democracy and abortion rights.

That messaging began Sunday evening as the Democrats projected a sign onto Trump’s Chicago hotel declaring it the “headquarters” of Project 2025, a much-maligned conservative blueprint for radically reshaping the federal government from which the former president has tried to distance himself.

"Between their wildly out-of-touch Project 2025 agenda and their historically unpopular VP candidate, Republicans have already done plenty to show the American people why four more years of Donald Trump would be a disaster for working families – and they should check the outside of Trump Tower if they need a reminder,” said Alex Floyd, a DNC spokesperson.

Floyd continued: “While the Trump-Vance campaign continues struggling with voters and their own self-inflicted gaffes, Democrats are ready to keep talking about the accomplishments of the Biden-Harris administration and send Vice President Harris and Governor Walz to the White House this November."

On the eve of the Democratic National Convention, the projection on Trump Tower in downtown Chicago reads “Project 2025 HQ.” pic.twitter.com/ySH7m1Czcx

— John Nichols (@NicholsUprising) August 19, 2024

Since Biden dropped out of the race, Democrats have seen a surge in volunteers. Harris’s campaign raised a staggering $310m in July despite Biden being the nominee for much of the month; Trump’s, by comparison, raised $139m in the same period.

The former president has watched and appeared to grow increasingly annoyed as Harris has rebounded in the polls since entering the race, putting swing states back into close contention and throwing Republicans onto the defense. Another bump in the polls caused by the DNC, should it go unanswered by Republicans, could put Harris at an advantage in those key battleground states.

The former president shook up his campaign last week and brought onboard 2016 campaign manager Corey Lewandowski in a senior advisory role reportedly above his de facto campaign managers Wiles and LaCivita, amid reports that Trump is nostalgic for his lean but winning 2016 operation.