Trump thanks supporters for the memories in final campaign stops for 2026 midterms

President Donald Trump is closing out the 2026 midterm campaign with a run of rallies that doubles as a possible farewell tour, NPR reports. He held more than 25 events in October, mostly in red states where Republicans face tough races. At a stop in South Carolina, he backed Senate hopefuls Darline Graham and Michael Whatley, both of whom he chose himself and both of whom have had trouble energizing GOP voters. Trump told the crowd they would never see anything like his rallies again.

He urged supporters to act as though he were on the ballot, arguing that Democrats want to undo his tax cuts and border policies. His stump speech leans on favorites such as tariffs, plus a running joke about the physique of Ohio Sen. Jon Husted, whom he claimed gained 12 points because of it, despite evidence to the contrary. He also teased Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton about his body, and joked that a promised $5,000 "Trump dividend" would barely cover a hamburger at Mar-a-Lago.

Attendees such as Blake Marnell, Cindy New and Valerie Thivierge said they came for the spectacle, which in Greenville included an Air Force One flyover and a nearly two-hour speech.

Summarized by PolitiKool from NPR’s reporting. Read the full story at NPR →