When Karl Rove, the architect of George W. Bush’s presidency, calls a Republican president “politically insane,” the GOP should listen—because the man who engineered two presidential victories just warned Trump is heading for a 2026 midterm massacre. The Bush Architect Sounds the Alarm Karl Rove earned his stripes orchestrating Republican victories when they mattered most. His latest Wall Street Journal column delivers a brutal assessment of Trump’s current trajectory, comparing the president’s economic messaging to Biden’s failed “Bidenomics” strategy. Rove warns Trump is repeating the same fatal mistake that cost Democrats credibility: telling voters to ignore their shrinking checkbooks. The timing of Rove’s intervention carries weight. With less than eleven months until the 2026 midterms, Trump’s approval rating sits at a dangerous 43.6% according to Real Clear Politics. Rove remembers what happens when presidents enter midterms underwater—and the results aren’t pretty for their party. Economic Reality Versus Trump’s Rally Claims During a recent Pennsylvania rally, Trump declared that prices for “everything” are down and “inflation is stopped.” This messaging strategy mirrors Biden’s tone-deaf approach that contributed to Democratic losses. Voters experiencing grocery store sticker shock and rising costs don’t appreciate being told their financial struggles are imaginary. Polling data supports Rove’s concerns about economic messaging. AP-NORC found Trump’s economic approval at just 31%, while voters consistently rank affordability as their top concern. When a president’s signature issue becomes a liability, midterm losses typically follow. Rove learned this lesson during his own political career and sees Trump making identical errors. The Rob Reiner Post That Shocked Even MAGA Trump’s Truth Social post mocking Rob Reiner’s death proved even more damaging than his economic messaging failures. After Reiner and his wife were murdered, Trump posted that the director was “driven CRAZY by TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME.” The post generated what Rove called “universal horror” from unexpected sources. The backlash crossed typical political lines. Nick Fuentes, Matt Walsh, and Marjorie Taylor Greene—hardly Trump critics—recoiled from the president’s insensitive response. When a politician loses support from their own base over a single post, it signals a serious messaging crisis that threatens electoral prospects. Midterm Mathematics and Political Reality Rove’s warning about 2026 stems from cold political calculation rather than personal animosity. Historical precedent shows that unpopular presidents drag down their entire party during midterm elections. Trump’s current approval numbers place Republicans in danger of losing congressional seats they worked years to secure. The veteran strategist draws parallels to his 1996 experience defending Medicare reforms by “trusting voters with the truth.” That honest approach boosted approval among seniors and preserved Republican credibility. Rove argues Trump must abandon denialism and address voter concerns directly, or face a “furious party in revolt” after midterm defeats. Sources: Karl Rove slams Trump’s ‘grotesqueries’ Karl Rove warns Trump about midterm election mistakes Karl Rove warns Republicans about 2026 Morning Joe on telling voters not to believe their own lying checkbooks