Recently, President Trump has noticed more visits from Democrats to both the White House and his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
One notable occasion was last week when Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser visited him in the Oval Office, shifting away from the adversarial approach she had during his first term.
Bowser was the second prominent Democrat to engage with Trump in a month.
Earlier in April, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer made an appearance at the White House, albeit briefly caught on camera hiding behind a binder.
This year, Senator John Fetterman (D-Pa.) also traveled to Palm Beach for a meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago.
Democrats noting this trend indicate a need for collaboration with Trump on certain issues, even if some would prefer to avoid being photographed, as Whitmer seemed to do.
“They still have to navigate this world just like Democrats manage their interactions with Trump,” explained Democratic strategist Jamal Simmons. “Everyone is trying to find the best way to handle it.”
“It’s a weird new environment where the old rules don’t quite apply,” Simmons commented.
For Democrats, it’s a tricky balance. There’s a temptation to ramp up resistance against Trump, but thoughts linger about the fallout from the last election.
In that election, the Democrats lost not only the presidency but control of both chambers of Congress.
Since then, they’ve been reassessing their strategies and their relationship with Trump, with the party still divided over the best approach. For some members, like Whitmer, appearing with Trump at a recent Michigan event made practical sense for tackling specific policy issues.
“Her second meeting with Trump showed these encounters were intentional,” noted one Democratic strategist. “She was fully aware of what she was doing by attending the White House and joining him later on stage.”
“This isn’t by chance,” the strategist emphasized. “She is quite conscious of the backlash she might face, yet she moves forward anyway.”
Whitmer isn’t alone in suggesting a willingness to work with Trump.
California Governor Gavin Newsom met Trump at the airport in January seeking assistance with wildfire recovery. Similarly, New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy have raised specific issues with the president.
Representative Jared Golden (D-Maine), from a Republican-leaning district, has also defended Trump’s tariff policies, standing out as one of the few House Democrats to back him on that front.
Conversely, some Democrats are staunchly opposed to Trump. They argue that his first term was tumultuous enough and are now focusing on how to govern in light of that legacy without cooperating.
For instance, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker recently urged Democrats to rally against Trump through mass protests.
“In my life, I’ve never called for mass protest mobilization like I do now,” he declared in a speech in New Hampshire. “These Republicans can’t be allowed to rest. They need to understand we’re addressing cruelty with every resource we have.”
“We should hold them accountable at the ballot box,” he added.
Regarding Democratic strategies for dealing with Trump, strategist Eddie Verele noted that opinions on the best course of action vary widely.
“As Donald Rumsfeld would say, it’s uncertain,” Verele remarked. “There are examples of individuals, including many independents and Republicans, who are very anti-Trump but still see potential for some collaboration.”
Still, he suggested, “The upcoming presidential primaries will obsess over choices, and many Democrats might rethink their stance on how to attract Biden and Trump voters.”
Meanwhile, some strategists caution that even the most cautious approaches towards Trump could have political repercussions for figures like Whitmer, who may have larger aspirations.
“I advise these Democrats to reflect on their fighting spirit to maintain credibility,” mentioned a leading strategist. “Being overly cautious will not serve well.”
“Trust me, that won’t end well,” the strategist concluded.
