As Trump considers deploying military forces into more U.S. cities, Democratic leaders often frame his actions as a “distraction” from other issues such as the cost of living, Medicaid cuts, or the Epstein files.
This reflects their strategy to fight the 2026 election on familiar partisan grounds, mainly focusing on Trump’s failure to lower costs for families. It also shows their reluctance to confront him directly on immigration and crime.
However, this “distraction” framing has created a rift between grassroots Democrats and Washington leadership, marking one of the biggest divides in how to respond to Trump’s militant second term.
From : CNN