Watch for Trump allies to begin framing Joe Biden as a free-trading globalist who would undo the president's trade agenda.
Why it matters: Trump will try to direct the conversation with his megaphone, and invite attacks on Biden from the left.
- Trump allies say that when 2020 candidates to Biden’s left inevitably start hitting him on his free-trade past, Republicans will piggyback to try to undermine him ahead of a potential general election fight in the Rust Belt.
- Expect them to begin asking questions like: What specifically will Biden do with China? Will he lift President Trump's tariffs? How does Biden defend his past advocacy for NAFTA and the Trans-Pacific Partnership?
- This could be months away, but it's already a hot topic in Trumpworld.
The backdrop: Team Trump is worried about the former vice president.
- Internal Trump polls have Biden substantially ahead in the Rust Belt.
The other side: "Trump’s trade war could hit his base of voters most," via CNBC.
Go deeper: Trump’s Biden obsession
