With his approval numbers, one would think Donald Trump might be focused on building Americans’ trust in his administration. But, as Karl Rove notes, the fun of bouncing from topic to topic and joke to joke in a rally is too much for him to resist.

Yes, we are in the season of jingling sleigh bells and much merry making, but Donald Trump should pause and listen to the discordant alarm bells.

The administration is making mistakes that could result in a nasty 2026 midterm defeat for President Trump’s party.

His approval rating in the RealClearPolitics average is 43.6%. His handling of the No. 1 issue for voters, the economy, has 40.7% approval, while his approval on inflation is 35%.

The President’s advisers dispatched Mr. Trump to a rally at a casino in Northeastern Pennsylvania last Tuesday. The venue was packed with hardcore supporters eager to hear his every word and participate in the spectacle and energy. Last week, reports Rove, in Mount Pocono was no exception.

President Trump describes his speaking style.

He goes from reading carefully prepared text on a teleprompter to impromptu asides, spicy attacks on enemies, meandering anecdotes, personal observations often about nothing much, then back to the teleprompter. It’s sometimes disjointed, often confusing, and always entertaining. He and the audience love it.

Therein lies the problem.

From Karl Rove:

With his approval numbers, Mr. Trump should be focused on building Americans’ trust in his administration. But the fun of bouncing from topic to topic and joke to joke in a rally is too much for him to resist.

Mr. Rove was senior adviser and deputy chief of staff for President George W. Bush and is the author of “The Triumph of William McKinley” (Simon & Schuster, 2015).