“I think the Democrats give up when I turn out,” President Donald Trump said. | Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images Trump says 'Democrats give up when I turn out' on campaign trail

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that his involvement in the midterm elections "de-energizes" Democrats, according to The Wall Street Journal, once again forecasting a wave of GOP success in November's races.

“I think the Democrats give up when I turn out,” Trump said. “If you want to know the truth, I don’t think it energizes them. I think it de-energizes them. I think they give up when I turn out.”


On Twitter, the president has repeatedly touted his "8 for 9" record in special elections endorsements, even though he has endorsed multiple losing candidates, including Luther Strange and Roy Moore in Alabama and Rick Saccone in Pennsylvania. After releasing a fresh batch of GOP endorsements earlier Wednesday, Trump touted his support as having moved the needle for GOP candidates.

The president said he plans to aggressively stump for Republicans running in close elections this fall, and pointed to a RealClearPolitics poll, which showed more than 40 percent of Americans believe the country is moving in the right direction, according to the Journal.

“As long as I can get out and campaign, I think they’re going to win, I really do,” he said. “It’s a lot of work for me. I have to make 50 stops, it’s a lot. So, there aren’t a lot of people that can do that, physically. Fortunately, I have no problem with that.”

But while the president claimed that his presence on the campaign trail is a demoralizing factor for Democrats, polls have shown enthusiasm among Democratic voters, typically lower for midterm elections than that of Republican voters, on the rise ahead of November's elections.

A POLITICO/Morning Consult poll released Wednesday found voter enthusiasm nearly matched across party lines, with 75 percent of Republican voters polled saying they are “very motivated” to vote, while 72 percent of Democrats said the same. The difference between the two parties is within the poll’s margin of error.

Trump also told the Journal he believes his tariffs on steel will restore the American industry to its glory days and replace international competition with domestic competition. The president conceded that tariffs imposed by his administration on steel and aluminum imports may make prices "a little more expensive" in the short term, but insisted that those prices will drop eventually, an argument that has been met with skepticism from many Trump critics, including some within the GOP.

“Our steel industry is one of the talks of the world. It’s booming,” Trump said.