'He's Panicking': Donald Trump Thinks His Team Is 'Failing' Ahead of Surprise News Conference, Says Ex-White House Aide

Former President Donald Trump caused a stir with his surprise announcement of a last-minute "general news conference."

The move has raised eyebrows among experts familiar with Trump's communication tactics, interpreting it as a sign of him "panicking."

"Re: Trump's self-announced press conference today at 2 pm: He’s panicking. I’ve seen this play many times. He thinks his team is failing him & no one can speak better/'save' his campaign/defend him but him," Stephanie Grisham, the former White House Communications Director and Press Secretary under Trump, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

She also highlighted Trump's dissatisfaction with the media coverage surrounding Vice President Kamala Harris, whom he sees as his main rival in the upcoming presidential election.

The ex-prez took to Truth Social at 4 a.m. on Thursday, August 8, to announce that he would hold the "General News Conference" at 2 p.m. at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla.

The timing of Trump's press conference is particularly noteworthy given the recent developments in the political landscape.

Over the past 18 days, Vice President Harris has solidified her position as the Democratic nominee for president, narrowing the gap between her and Trump in the polls.

According to Real Clear Politics, Joe Biden's VP began her campaign seven points behind the former president. Now, she's leading in an average of polls by a single point, with some polls showing her with an 11-point lead in critical swing states like Michigan and Wisconsin.

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One of the key objectives of Trump's media appearance is to shift the focus onto Harris, highlighting her lack of engagement with the press since her nomination.

As OK! previously reported, Trump's running mate, J.D. Vance, called out Harris for avoiding interviews or talking to the press.

He appeared in front of Air Force Two in Wisconsin to tell reporters he “wanted to go say hello to the vice president and ask her why does she refuse to answer questions.”

The GOP VP pick added that he hoped Harris would talk to the reporters because "I think it'd be good for you all if she ran a real campaign instead of one from the basement with a teleprompter." He also called her silence toward the press "disgraceful."