Former casino mogul and long-time friend of Donald Trump Steve Wynn has called on the Republican presidential nominee to change his campaign approach. Wynn, who brought mega resorts to the Las Vegas Strip, believes Trump is going “off-message” after he falsely said during a debate with Kamala Harris that Haitian migrants in the Ohio town of Springfield were eating people’s cats and dogs.

According to Politico sources, the two met recently, and the 82-year-old Wynn highlighted recent polling numbers, asking Trump to focus on policy issues where Kamala Harris is more vulnerable rather than distractions. Wynn subsequently said that Politico’s reporting of this interaction was “inaccurate” without pointing out any errors.

the Democratic Party nominee as the favorite to win the election in November

Other Trump allies also have called for a change in approach as Harris’ campaign gains momentum, asking him to focus more on the economy, crime, trade, and immigration rather than conspiracy theories. Sportsbooks now have the Democratic Party nominee as the favorite to win the election in November following the recent debate.

Wynn and Trump go way back, competing as rival real estate giants during the 1980s, including in the Atlantic City casino market, where both billionaires developed properties. They subsequently became friends, with Wynn helping donations to Trump’s inaugural committee almost reach $100m before serving as the finance chair for the Republican National Committee.

Wynn stepped down from his positions at Wynn Resorts in February 2018 after sexual assault allegations came to light, all of which he denies.