DOUG SCHOEN: Trump put 2026 election officials on notice. Now he needs a clear agenda

Perhaps the most important point that President Donald Trump made in his White House address on Thursday night was that we need to be vigilant about foreign involvement and intrusion in our election process. While the president specifically singled out Russia, China, Iran and North Korea, I would argue that our concern must be global.

Yes, of course, the president’s allegations about the People’s Republic of China not only need to be taken seriously; they need to be followed up on — by law enforcement and both chambers of Congress. Indeed, the issue is not only whether foreign actors were able to rig the outcome of an election, but also whether malign actors, wherever they come from, attempted to intrude upon or influence a process that must remain sacrosanct.

What the president’s speech did not accomplish — nor, I believe, was that its main goal — was to influence the outcome of the midterm elections through a sustained policy argument. He did speak at the beginning of his address about economic growth, lower inflation and a stock market that has hit record highs. But there was no sustained argument about affordability, nor did he present any clear evidence that the war in Iran would be over soon.

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What he did do was put election officials around the country on notice that the 2026 midterms would face close scrutiny and that he would personally hold them accountable.

The challenge for the president now is to develop a narrative for the midterms that underscores Republican successes domestically and internationally and argues that the Democratic Party, particularly its socialist wing, is unable to meaningfully improve American life.

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One other point is worth noting: We are experiencing a profound crisis of confidence in our system of government. Voters in both parties have less confidence in our leaders and in our ability to meaningfully address the problems facing society.

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I very much hope the president and congressional leaders will address, on a bipartisan basis, affordability, our challenges overseas and, most importantly, our responsibility as a nation to serve as a beacon of freedom and liberty in the world.

At this point in our politics, Republicans have yet to offer a compelling agenda. But as a Democratic strategist, I would make a profound mistake if I failed to acknowledge that my party remains divided, polarized and without an affirmative agenda of its own. 

Hopefully, the next five months will bring competing agendas from both parties, as well as greater bipartisanship in Congress. But I wouldn’t bet on it.

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