Trump’s silence shows new discipline

“Never interrupt your enemy when he makes a mistake.” This famous quote attributed to several of history’s great generals is a truth that applies to military and election campaigns. Since the debate, former President Donald Trump has shied away from the spotlight as the Biden campaign works to allay concerns about President Joe Biden’s age. That public discipline is different from his previous campaigns and is being rewarded this week.

Even during the debate, Trump’s strategy was clearly different from his past performances in 2016 and 2020. Trump’s greater restraint wasn’t just the result of the muted microphones, though that certainly helped. Case in point: one of Trump’s most memorable lines from the debate: “I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence. I don’t think he knows what he said either.” The quote isn’t as aggressive as some of Trump’s other famous rhetorical jabs, which lets Biden’s incoherence speak for itself.

Biden has struggled to express himself several times, but Trump has not responded. Public attention has focused on Biden’s difficulty expressing himself clearly, rather than on the typically aggressive Trump that can turn off voters.

Since the debate, the Biden campaign has been in a state of constant crisis, under increasing scrutiny from the media and the Democratic Party. Editorials have called for Biden to withdraw from the race. Even elected Democrats have left the door open to his replacement in their press interviews, while behind-the-scenes negotiations continue within the party.

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The Supreme Court’s decision Monday that Trump has presidential immunity for his “official acts” would normally have dominated the news cycle. But Biden’s poor debate performance and Trump’s continued discipline have kept the public conversation firmly focused on Biden’s candidacy. Aside from a speech about his court victory and a few low-key interviews, he has steered clear of major media appearances since the debate.

With November still months away, it is far from certain that Biden will remain the Democratic nominee. Nevertheless, Trump’s increased public discipline compared to previous elections is working and will continue to work to his advantage. With Trump already established as a national political figure, any additional media attention could only have a negative impact on his campaign. Contrary to the principle that “all publicity is good publicity,” Trump’s best chance of winning the White House is to keep his opponents in the public eye.