{"id":2630734,"date":"2026-07-16T15:15:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T19:15:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-says-josh-shapiro-doesnt-have-what-it-takes-as-he-moves-to-define-him-before-2028\/"},"modified":"2026-07-16T15:18:30","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T19:18:30","slug":"trump-says-josh-shapiro-doesnt-have-what-it-takes-as-he-moves-to-define-him-before-2028","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-says-josh-shapiro-doesnt-have-what-it-takes-as-he-moves-to-define-him-before-2028\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump says Josh Shapiro &#8216;doesn&#8217;t have what it takes&#8217; as he moves to define him before 2028"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">34<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrump-says-josh-shapiro-doesnt-have-what-it-takes-as-he-moves-to-define-him-before-2028%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2630734&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>President donald Trump criticized Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro during a campaign event, calling him \u201ctotally overrated\u201d and alleging he \u201cdoes not have what it takes,\u201d while praising his Republican opponent Stacy Garrity. This remark came amidst concerns that Shapiro\u2019s once-strong reputation as a rising star in the Democratic Party might be waning, as recent polls show his led has narrowed from 18 to 13 points. Shapiro remains the favorite for reelection, but his support among progressives has softened due to ongoing tensions over issues like Gaza, labor, and economic concerns. Trump also dismissed Shapiro in various contexts, including at the Pennsylvania Defense &#038; Innovation Summit, and emphasized the importance of defining his political rival early.Political strategists note that Trump\u2019s attack was both typical and strategic, aiming to shape the narrative before Shapiro solidifies his own image. Experts acknowledge Shapiro\u2019s broad appeal but caution that Republican efforts to tie him to the left could weaken his moderate image in the upcoming election. while Trump\u2019s comments are seen as standard campaign rhetoric, they reflect ongoing partisan strategies amid a competitive political environment in Pennsylvania, a key battleground state.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"4\">Donald Trump<\/a> took a swipe at Gov. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/josh-shapiro\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"5122\">Josh Shapiro<\/a> (D-PA) during a campaign appearance Wednesday, dismissing the Democrat as someone who \u201cdoesn\u2019t have what it takes\u201d while praising his <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/garrityforpa.com\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/garrityforpa.com\/\">Republican rival, Stacy Garrity<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The remark was brief, but it landed at a moment when Shapiro\u2019s once nearly universal reputation as one of the Democratic Party\u2019s brightest rising stars appears to be dimming.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4649915\/minnesota-gop-reject-trump-endorsement-mike-lindell\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Minnesota GOP rejects Trump\u2019s endorsement of Mike Lindell<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4649682\/musk-dump-5-million-ramaswamy-campaign\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Musk dumps $5 million in Ramaswamy\u2019s campaign despite DOGE fallout<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4649698\/trump-amy-klobuchar-equally-incompetent-corrupt-tim-walz-minnesota\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Amy Klobuchar \u2018equally as incompetent\u2019 and \u2018corrupt\u2019 as Tim Walz: Trump<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump called Shapiro \u201ctotally overrated\u201d while speaking at the Pennsylvania <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/defense\/4650426\/pennsylvania-defense-summit-trump-contracts-jobs\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/defense\/4650426\/pennsylvania-defense-summit-trump-contracts-jobs\/\">Defense &#038; Innovation Summit<\/a> hosted by Sen.<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4644156\/fetterman-gop-fundraising-boost-fresh-fury-democrats\/\" type=\"post\" id=\"4644156\"> Dave McCormick<\/a> (R-PA) at the U.S. Army War College.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019m telling you, this guy Shapiro is totally overrated,\u201d Trump said. \u201cI watched him the other night doing a speech, and he does not have what it takes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMaybe he\u2019ll win \u2014 and he\u2019s expected to win \u2014 but I hear things about Stacy, and I\u2019m hearing some poll numbers that are very good.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large\">President Donald Trump speaks at the United States Army War College in Carlisle, Pa., during the Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (AP Photo\/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; data-large-file=&#8221;https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2026\/07\/localimages\/AP26196784316864.jpg?w=696&#8243; &#8220;https:><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">President Donald Trump speaks at the United States Army War College in Carlisle, Pa., during the Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (AP Photo\/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shapiro remains the clear favorite for reelection and continues to lead Garrity in public polling. But recent surveys suggest his political standing is no longer quite as dominant as it was a year ago, while his support among progressives has softened amid lingering tensions over Gaza, organized labor, and broader frustrations from the party\u2019s left flank.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A new <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/poll.qu.edu\/poll-release?releaseid=3962\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/poll.qu.edu\/poll-release?releaseid=3962\">Quinnipiac University poll <\/a>released this week found that Shapiro\u2019s lead has narrowed to 13 points. A similar poll conducted a few months ago showed him having an 18-point lead.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pennsylvania is a critical battleground state where voters have been split. Trump carried the state by nearly 2 percentage points in 2024. Four years earlier, the state backed former President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/joe-biden\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"471\">Joe Biden<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Political strategist James Christopher argued that Trump\u2019s remark was characteristic of his political style but nonetheless served a strategic purpose.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cTrump\u2019s simple schoolyard attack follows his typical tirades, but it is still strategically relevant,\u201d Christopher told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>, adding that Trump understands the value of defining a possible national rival before that rival can shape his own image.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Christopher noted that Trump himself \u201cturned his celebrity into a presidency,\u201d defeating more experienced politicians, and said recent Democratic Socialists of America-backed primary victories demonstrate that even well-funded incumbents can be vulnerable when an energized ideological base turns out.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He said Shapiro remains \u201ca strong governor with broad crossover appeal\u201d and \u201can incredible track record,\u201d but said that the very moderation that has made him attractive to independents and some Republicans has also created friction with progressives over issues including Gaza, organized labor, affordability, and economic populism.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large\">Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro talks to the media prior to a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Pocono Raceway, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Long Pond, Pa. (AP Photo\/Derik Hamilton)<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; data-large-file=&#8221;https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2026\/07\/localimages\/AP26165579254880.jpg?w=696&#8243; &#8220;https:><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro talks to the media prior to a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Pocono Raceway, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Long Pond, Pa. (AP Photo\/Derik Hamilton)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI believe that in the gubernatorial race, Republicans will also try to tie Shapiro to the party\u2019s furthest-left positions, whether he supports them or not,\u201d Christopher said. \u201cTheir goal will be to blur the distinctions, weaken his crossover brand, and force him to answer for the broadest Democratic coalitions.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For Christopher, Trump\u2019s jab was \u201cmore than an insult\u201d\u2014it was \u201can early effort to define Shapiro, before Shapiro defines himself.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Democratic strategist Jay Satterfield, principal at North Shore Strategies, largely dismissed Trump\u2019s comments as standard campaign rhetoric but said Democrats should not ignore the wider political environment.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPresident Trump\u2019s comments are campaign rhetoric,\u201d Satterfield told the <em>Washington Examiner.<\/em> \u201cThat\u2019s politics. But Democrats would be making a mistake if we ignored the fact that voters are frustrated.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rather than focusing on partisan fights, Satterfield said voters remain consumed by \u201ckitchen table\u201d concerns such as housing costs, groceries, gas prices, utility bills, and lingering inflation, particularly in working-class communities.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMy generation is buried in student loan debt, and inflation has stretched family budgets to the breaking point,\u201d he said. \u201cThose kitchen table issues are what people care about now and will continue to for a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still, Satterfield said that Shapiro has demonstrated an ability to build the kind of coalition Democrats need to win in competitive states.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cJosh Shapiro has proven he can win over independents and moderate Republicans,\u201d he said. \u201cWhether it\u2019s him or any Democrat, the path to victory is the same: stop talking at working people and start talking with them. That\u2019s how you win in Appalachia. That\u2019s how you win across the South. And that\u2019s how you win America.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/defense\/4647896\/pennsylvania-defense-summit-future-warfighting-mccormick\/\" type=\"post\" id=\"4647896\">DAVE MCCORMICK PLAYS MATCHMAKER FOR HUNDREDS OF DEFENSE COMPANIES LOOKING TO GAIN WARFIGHTING EDGE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He also brushed off Republican attacks on Shapiro\u2019s appeal, adding, \u201cAt the current moment in our history, Republicans talking about likability is kind of like a rooster trying to teach a duck how to crow. Bless their hearts, they\u2019ve got enough of their own bass ackwards mess to sort out before they start grading somebody else\u2019s paper.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An email to Shapiro\u2019s campaign for comment was not returned.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trump dismisses Shapiro, praises Garrity during campaign speech<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2646,"featured_media":2630735,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/trump-shapiro-e1784226376403.jpg?1784211970&amp;w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[11331,6571,37061,5894,3634],"class_list":["post-2630734","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-11331","tag-elections","tag-josh-shapiro","tag-politics","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/trump-shapiro-e1784226376403.jpg?1784211970&amp;w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2630734","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2646"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2630734"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2630734\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2630738,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2630734\/revisions\/2630738"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2630735"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2630734"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2630734"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2630734"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}