'The President is not popular.' That was the assessment briefly displayed on Republican congressional candidate Eric Pratt's campaign website before it was removed.
The apparent internal messaging instruction urged the Minnesota candidate to focus on local issues rather than President Donald Trump, less than two weeks before the US midterm elections on 3 November 2026.
The sentence appeared in the 'Pratt Playbook' section of Pratt's official website, alongside proposals on affordability, accountability and public safety. Unlike the surrounding policy statements, its wording suggested it was a drafting instruction rather than material intended for voters.
The apparent mistake attracted attention on Tuesday, 20 October, after a screenshot circulated on social media. Some observers described the text as an artificial intelligence (AI) prompt, although there is no publicly verified evidence establishing whether AI was involved.
The Deleted Sentence on Pratt's Website
The now-deleted sentence read: 'The President is not popular, so all messaging should be focused on local politics and needs.'
It appeared immediately after a paragraph describing residents' concerns about everyday costs, accountability and political leadership. Rather than outlining a policy, the sentence directed whoever was preparing the material to concentrate on local issues.
The wording drew attention after an X user known as autumn! (@auautumntumn) shared a screenshot on 20 October. MeidasTouch reported the incident later that day, describing the text as an apparent instruction intended for an AI tool.
A review of the campaign website on 21 October confirmed that the sentence was no longer visible.
The introductory paragraph now ends after the reference to common sense. However, the available evidence does not establish who inserted the wording or how it reached the public website.
Trump's Approval Ratings Provide Political Context
The incident came as national polls showed widespread dissatisfaction with Trump's presidency ahead of the 3 November congressional elections.
A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll published on 18 October found that 33% of American adults approved of Trump's performance, while 66% disapproved. His approval rating was lower than at any point during his first presidential term.
A separate Reuters/Ipsos poll released on 19 October put Trump's approval at 31%, the lowest recorded across his two presidential terms. However, these national figures do not establish how voters in Pratt's congressional district view the president.
Reuters reported that living costs, immigration and Trump's approval ratings were among the issues shaping the elections.
Pratt's campaign platform addresses housing, jobs, Social Security and healthcare. These priorities overlap with broader voter concerns but do not prove that his campaign deliberately sought to distance itself from Trump.
Who Is Republican Candidate Eric Pratt?
Eric Pratt is the Republican nominee for Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District. He faces former state senator Matt Little, the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party nominee, in the 3 November election.
The seat is currently held by Democratic congresswoman Angie Craig, who pursued a US Senate bid but lost the Democratic primary to Peggy Flanagan in August. Pratt is a Minnesota state senator from Prior Lake.
He has worked in banking and financial services for around 30 years, including positions at Target and U.S. Bank. His political background and campaign priorities are outlined in CBS Minnesota's election guide.
His campaign emphasises economic growth, government accountability and public safety. The disputed sentence attracted attention because it appeared within his public-facing policy platform rather than in a private campaign document.
Was the Deleted Sentence Generated by AI?
Despite speculation surrounding the incident, there is no publicly verified evidence identifying an AI tool as the source of the deleted sentence.
The wording resembles an instruction that could have been written for a campaign worker or entered into an AI chatbot. Instead of describing a policy proposal, it directs how political messaging should be prepared. However, the sentence alone cannot establish whether AI was used to draft the website.
It could have originated from a human-written note, an AI-assisted draft or another stage of content preparation. There is also no verified evidence that Pratt personally wrote or approved the instruction.
Nor does the wording establish Pratt's private views about Trump or confirm that his campaign adopted a strategy to avoid mentioning the president.
What remains unanswered is who wrote the sentence, why it was included and how it reached the campaign's public website.
