Following a week in which criticism of the president from his own party grew louder and more pointed, the White House is hoping a pivot to the Republican Congressional leaders’ top priority of tax reform will help right the ship.
White House chief of staff John Kelly is leading efforts to reassure Republican leaders following Trump’s equivocal response to violence stemming from a white supremacist rally in Virginia, according to senior officials.
Figures within the White House expressed hope that the departure of former chief strategist Steve Bannon will help bring order to the policy process, and maybe even reduce the propensity for the president to abruptly shift course via Twitter.
The focus on taxes is welcome news to Congressional leaders as they begin their push to sell their tax reform plan. The president will meet with Republican leadership after they return to Washington from their August recess.