Trump Set to Live-Tweet Democratic Debates – Wall Street Journal

President Trump’s political advisers wanted to keep the president off of Twitter during the Democratic debates next week, arguing that there was an advantage in letting potential challengers attack one another without distraction.

Now, there’s a new strategy.

The president, who has spent years embracing social media for his political advantage, is tentatively planning to live-tweet the debates on June 26-27, according to people familiar with the planning.

Mr. Trump, even from a remove, always promised to be the most important figure at the debate. Regardless of the specific debate questions, many Democratic voters will be listening for how each candidate plans to take down Mr. Trump.

Interacting in real time on Twitter would make Mr. Trump’s presence more tangible by directly inserting himself into the political conversation unfolding on stage. His posts could provide instant responses as well as insights into which attacks he feels most acutely.

Political advisers warned that planning for debate night remains fluid, and that Mr. Trump can change his mind. A campaign spokesman declined to comment.

Political advisers have long wanted Mr. Trump to tap the breaks on attacking Democratic presidential rivals, concerned that the president’s reactions would elevate contenders and provide some shield from what otherwise could be a bruising primary battle. Mr. Trump’s broadsides against former Vice President Joe Biden, for example, have coincided with polls that increasingly show voters view Mr. Biden as the most likely to deny the president a second term.

But as Mr. Trump repeatedly attacks Mr. Biden, the president’s campaign has followed suit. Last week, after Mr. Trump’s criticisms of Mr. Biden ran the gamut from his appearance to his policy, Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale posted three critical messages of Mr. Biden on Twitter. He previously had only ever mentioned Mr. Biden once on Twitter.