Trump set off on the intensive schedule this week, with reports that he ordered his motorcade to drive at nearly 100mph for 85 miles from Texas to Oklahoma after his plane was grounded by weather. The determination to reach a rally, he later recalled, was characteristic of a campaign that is expected to feature five to seven events per week as Republicans try to defend narrow congressional majorities.
But the mood among some in the party is anxious. A Reuters/Ipsos poll last month put Trump's approval at an all-time low. Voters are frustrated by the cost of living, the ongoing war in Iran and what many see as excessive crackdowns on immigration. Some Republican candidates have begun to distance themselves from the president.
"They've been a mainstay of his brand, but they're also the engine of his doom," said Steve Schmidt, a political strategist. "Everybody knows the obvious, which is that his presence hurts every Republican candidate on the ballot because the race is fundamentally about Trump and the American people are sick and tired of him."
Trump's team, by contrast, appears to believe that the rallies energise his base and are essential for turnout. The coming weeks will test whether that strategy can overcome broader discontent with the administration's record.