Trump Puts on a Midterms Show for an Audience That’s Already Sold - T…

President Trump Holds Rally in Oklahoma to Back Republican Midterm Candidates

President Trump addressed supporters at the Choctaw Event Center in Durant, Oklahoma, on October 1, 2026, as part of efforts to support Republican candidates ahead of the November midterm elections. The event marked the first rally in a monthlong campaign schedule focused on House and Senate races.

During the appearance, Mr. Trump stated that voters should act as if he were on the ballot. “Pretend I’m running, please. If we don’t win, they’ll end up impeaching me,” he said. He described the stakes as including Republican majorities in Congress, border security measures, and economic conditions. Mr. Trump noted that roughly 35 House and Senate contests would determine control of Congress. He said his presence in Oklahoma reflected personal preference rather than necessity in that state, where Republican candidates hold advantages.

Mr. Trump endorsed Mike Mazzei for governor and referenced Mazzei’s positions on agricultural imports. He also addressed Senate candidate Ken Paxton of Texas. Earlier that day, Mr. Trump visited an auto parts facility near Dallas and described Paxton as loyal while noting past comments by Paxton about the midterm campaign schedule. At the Oklahoma event, Mr. Trump played video clips from Newsmax featuring two attendees who said Paxton’s remarks did not affect their support. He invited the attendees onstage.

Mr. Trump proposed that each American adult receive a $5,000 payment if Republicans retain congressional majorities. He attributed potential funding to tariff revenue and economic growth. The proposal would require more than $1.3 trillion. He contrasted Republican and Democratic approaches to trade and spending.

Mr. Trump criticized Democratic policies on inflation, energy costs, and trade balances from the prior period of Democratic congressional majorities. He stated that those outcomes would not be repeated. He also discussed the ongoing U.S. military actions involving Iran, saying the operations had reduced Iranian capabilities and that the conflict would conclude soon. He referenced $1,776 payments issued to service members, drawn from military housing accounts, at a total cost of approximately $2.6 billion.

Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin spoke before Mr. Trump. Mullin described the department’s role in border enforcement and said Democratic approaches to immigration would alter U.S. demographics. He linked those policies to risks of increased disorder.

A New York Times/Siena poll released before the event found that 64 percent of independent voters and a majority of likely midterm voters disapproved of Mr. Trump’s immigration policies. Forty-eight percent of likely voters strongly disapproved. Fifty-two percent said they trusted Democrats more than Republicans on immigration issues. Some Republican lawmakers have supported limits on presidential authority to continue operations in Iran without additional congressional approval. Others have raised concerns about family separations during enforcement actions.

Teri Tulane, a 60-year-old retired teacher from Asher, Oklahoma, attended the rally. She arrived at 7:30 a.m. and waited outside until afternoon. Tulane said she supports Republican positions on health care and opposes what she described as socialist policies. She noted higher costs for some groceries while observing lower egg prices. She expressed support for stronger measures against Iran.

Mr. Trump brought several attendees onstage, including a White House aide and her parents. He commented on the aide’s appearance and family background. He also referred to Dennis Rodman, who appeared at the event. Throughout the program, Mr. Trump displayed endorsement success statistics and news segments.

The rally occurred while Mr. Trump’s second term has included focus on foreign policy matters and White House facility projects. Advisers had previously indicated limited need for campaign-style events given the absence of a presidential race. Mr. Trump has publicly disputed polling that shows declining approval ratings.

Several Republican candidates in competitive districts have maintained distance from specific administration decisions on trade and enforcement in recent weeks. Mr. Trump has continued public criticism of news coverage of his record and has restricted some media access to White House events.

The event drew a capacity crowd that responded with applause to announcements about payments and policy contrasts. Mr. Trump closed by stating that his administration had delivered on prior commitments to supporters. Additional campaign stops are scheduled in coming weeks across states with contested congressional races.