Trump's Bold Move: 'Pretend I'm on the Ballot' Sparks GOP Buzz
DALLAS — President Trump’s dream of a Republican midterm convention, a “rally like no other” to bolster GOP candidates ahead of November’s high-stakes elections, is coming to fruition Wednesday in the Lone Star State.
The Post’s politics team is on the ground in Dallas to capture all the action during the two-night event that’s facing stiff competition from the NFL’s opening games — with a keynote from the commander-in-chief to close out both nights.
President Trump took the stage to cheers, loud applause and a live rendition of his rally staple, Lee Greenwood’s “Proud to Be an American.”
“In 55 days, Americans will be going to the polls in one of the most important elections in our country’s history,” the president said.
“Your vote will decide whether our country stumbles at the starting gate of the next 250 years, or surges forward and never, ever looks back.”
He also implored GOP voters to “pretend I’m on the ballot” in the critical elections less than two months away.
Early speakers blasted Democrats — including the slate of socialist candidates who swept the primary elections. Democratic Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman made a surprise appearance to introduce his fellow Keystone State colleague, Sen. Dave McCormick.
Attorney General Todd Blanche touted the Trump administration’s “law and order” agenda, highlighting the deportation of “2.6 million criminal aliens.”
A whopping 109 big-name pols and red-party superstars will take the stage across the two nights to also showcase achievements so far in Trump’s second term.
Follow live updates from the midterm RNC for all the speeches, photos, news, reactions and more:
DALLAS — President Trump will push for what he dubbed "the Great Healthcare plan," featuring a crackdown on insurance companies, during his speech at the GOP midterm convention, according to prepared remarks.
Trump's exact timetable for getting "the Great Healthcare plan" passed through Congress is not immediately clear, but the president is also expected to tease plans to make his policies to reduce prescription drug prices permanent and end surprise medical billing.
"We will pass the Great Healthcare plan to stop all government payments to big insurance companies, and give the money directly to the people, for you to buy your own healthcare and have money left over," Trump will say, according to a copy his remarks obtained by The Post.
Last year, when the enhanced Obamacare subsidies were set to expire, Republicans floated multiple different proposals for an alternative policy. Trump had gravitated towards the idea of taking the subsidies and giving them directly to consumers rather than going through insurance companies.
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President Trump is floating a new bill that would make it illegal for future presidents "to open the border again," he said during a speech at the Republican midterm convention.
The president is expected to propose the legislation under the title the "No Invasions Act" on Wednesday night at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.
"We will make it legally impossible for any future president to destroy our country by having the right to open the border again," Trump will say, according to a copy of his prepared remarks.
DALLAS — President Trump's mention of Senate Majority Leader John Thune drew boos from the audience at the GOP midterm convention.
"And John Thune is here for the Senate," Trump said after giving a shoutout to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) "Where's John? John is working hard. He's got great opposition."
After the boos erupted, Trump defended Thune, underscoring the opposition he's faced from Democrats.
Thune faced backlash from elements of the MAGA base due to the Senate's inability to pass the SAVE America Act.
President Trump will pledge to slash "out-of-control credit card swipe fees" in his speech Wednesday at the GOP midterm convention in Dallas.
“We will cut out-of-control credit card swipe fees, saving the average family $1,200 per year,” Trump will tell the crowd, according to his prepared remarks.
“We will not allow Americans to pay seven to eight times more in those fees than they do in other countries — much like I solved favored nations,” the president will argue.
Earlier this year, Trump urged congressional lawmakers to pass the Credit Card Competition Act, which he said in a social media post would “stop the out-of-control swipe fee ripoff.”
The president has previously floated capping credit card interest rates at 10%.
President Trump emphasized his administration's tough-on-crime approach, vowing to end cashless bail and increase the use of the death penalty.
“We will end No Cash Bail, and institute the Death Penalty for large-scale drug dealers, human traffickers, and murderers of law enforcement,” he said in his remarks.
Trump signed an executive order to encourage the disuse of cashless bail, which lets defendants be released from jail before their trial without having to pay a financial bond.
His order, signed in August, asks federal agencies to withhold federal grants and funding from states and cities that use cashless bail.
The president also brought back the death penalty in federal cases, signing an executive order on his first day in office that lifted the Biden-era moratorium on federal executions and directed prosecutors to prioritize capital punishment in eligible cases.