CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins has pointed out an unusual change in Donald Trump’s midterm campaign schedule after the president canceled two upcoming in-person rallies in Kansas and Iowa. Instead, Trump plans to connect with voters through virtual campaign events, a shift Collins says marks a major difference from his 2018 midterm campaign.
Kaitlan Collins compares Trump’s 2026 and 2018 campaign schedules
Speaking to Anderson Cooper on 360° on Thursday, Collins noted that Trump had attended around 25 rallies during the month. However, after his scheduled Friday appearance in Daytona Beach, Florida, he will have no more in-person campaign events before the midterms (via The Daily Beast).
Collins said, “It’s pretty unusual, Anderson, because the president likes to tout how much he’s been on the road.”
She recalled covering Trump’s 2018 midterm campaign, when he frequently held multiple rallies in a single day. “Back in 2018, he was doing still multiple rallies a day before Tuesday night, two a day, three a day in some cases, leading up to those midterms,” she said. Collins added that the upcoming election could “deeply impact” the final two years of Trump’s presidency.
The White House defended the switch, saying Trump would participate in more than 20 tele-rallies to connect with voters nationwide. However, Collins explained that these virtual appearances, which typically last 10 to 15 minutes, are very different from his lengthy in-person rally.
The CNN host also reported that some Republican officials were relieved by Trump’s decision to stay off the campaign trail. Speaking on The Source, she recalled one official saying, “Thank God, he hasn’t moved the needle anywhere.” Another reportedly commented, “Everyone has seen the president who wants to see him.”
Meanwhile, Kaitlan Collins also addressed Trump’s response to a Reuters reporter who questioned him about his health and recent campaign schedule. Trump told Jacob Bogage, “You’ve been following me for two weeks, I feel perfect,” before adding, “You are disgusting. Put yourself in shape, you look like hell.”
Collins said the journalist had asked a straightforward question and was not suggesting that Trump was ill. She added that the president’s reaction to the question about his health and the rally cancellations “says a lot.”
