VandeHei briefs NACo members on the actions of the Trump administration

Jim VandeHei, political insider, and co-founder of both Axios and Politico, spoke to NACo members about political changes brought by President Donald Trump and advised local governments what to expect from the White House over the next four years.

“Keep expecting volatility, then just be delighted when normal stuff happens,” VandeHei told the crowd during the NACo opening general session on Monday morning.

It has been difficult to predict the actions of the White House since Trump took the oath of office. VandeHei explained that this is because Trump and his team have refused to follow any sort of blueprint or plan since he won the election. Instead Trump’s White House has mainly been reactive to the media.

But, VandeHei countered that the “only place he’s been consistent on is this idea of ‘America first,” so local governments can expect him to keep focusing on stimulating the economy and jobs.

One way to predict Trump’s actions is to keep a close eye on the beliefs and actions of those around him, especially his family and closest advisors.

“If there’s one thing you should spend your time reading up on it is Steve Bannon and his vision of America first and his vision of nationalism. You hear his words coming out of Donald Trump's mind more than anyone else, even his daughter,” VandeHei said. “And this guy for better or for worse has a very different worldview than most conservatives.”

Looking forward, VandeHei predicted that Republicans could do very well in the 2018 midterm elections since conservatives typically “are better voters in off-year elections.” Also, many Democratic Senate seats are up for grabs in states Trump won in the 2016 election.