Fox News Host Suggests Trump Isn't Weighing Political Cost Ahead of Midterms: 'Don't Know if He Cares That Much'

Republicans' concerns about their chances in the upcoming midterm elections are intensifying, with some conservative commentators and figures close to the White House openly questioning whether President Donald Trump is factoring electoral consequences into his policy decisions.

On Fox News' The Five, Dana Perino said she is unsure "whether President Trump cares that much" about the political fallout of his actions, particularly given historical trends that favor the opposition party in midterms.

"He understands history and knows that it's probably likely that the Republicans won't be able to hold it even if they try," she said, adding that "the political price... is not weighing in on some of these very tough decisions."

Perino's remarks come amid declining approval ratings for the president and growing concern among Republicans about losing control of Congress. A UMass poll released on Monday showed Trump with a 33% approval rating, while other surveys indicate widespread disapproval of his handling of issues such as the war in Iran.

Perino's comments also echo those made back in December by fellow Fox News host Jesse Watters, who predicted Republicans would lose the House regardless of economic improvements. "You're gonna lose the House. You may keep the Senate. I'll take that," Watters said in December, arguing that even favorable economic conditions might not be enough to overcome political headwinds.

Those concerns are also reflected within Republican circles and among individuals close to the administration. According to people familiar with internal discussions quoted by Politico, there is a growing perception that policy decisions are not being driven by electoral considerations. One person close to the White House told the news site that:

"So many of the calculations that the administration is taking are not political. For all the political people out here, like me and others that are like, 'okay, guys, but what about the election?' It doesn't seem like they're operating or executing the administration's policies with an election on their mind"

Another individual described the House as "not saveable, most likely," suggesting that even within Trump's orbit there is an expectation of losing the chamber. At the same time, a senior administration official cautioned that it is "far too early to say" how the midterms will unfold, pointing to the generic ballot as a more reliable indicator.

The president has acknowledged the historical pattern of midterm losses but has defended his record. "For whatever reason... a president... almost always does poorly in the midterms," Trump said at a recent GOP campaign event, while describing his presidency as successful.