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, came 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 during his nearly two-hour remarks.
“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.”
The president vowed to end cashless bail and increase death penalty use, slash “out-of-control credit card swipe fees,” pass “The Great Healthcare plan” and pushing a new bill making it illegal for future presidents “to open the border again.”
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: Erika Kirk attended President Trump’s speech at the GOP midterm convention in Dallas — and was recognized by the commander-in-chief — on the eve of the one-year anniversary of her husband’s assassination.
“Exactly one year ago tomorrow, a far-left extremist assassinated my great friend and conservative voice, Charlie Kirk — because Charlie Kirk spoke the truth,” Trump said.
“What shocked millions of Americans was not only the fact that Charlie was murdered — as bad as it was — but also how many people made an excuse for it or cheered for it,” the president continued. “They were cheering, some people, sick people.”
Trump added, “I just want to say we love you. Charlie.”
The president then revealed: “And Erika is here.”
“And I think Erika is going to be here tomorrow, too,” Trump said. “She’s put up with something. Boy, oh, boy. What she’s had to go through. And it was a beautiful family.
“It’s just terrible.”
Ericka Kirk was seated in the VIP box with Vice President JD Vance and other Trump administration officials.
Trump jokes Texas Senate candidate James ‘Talafreako’ ran a ‘campaign to beat meat’
By Ryan King
DALLAS — President Trump once again trashed Texas Senate hopeful James Talarico, claiming the Democrat once “ran a campaign to beat meat.”
“He was also somebody that hated eating meat. But he ran a campaign to beat meat. He called it beat meat. I don’t know what the hell he meant,” Trump quipped.
Talarico and his campaign have insisted that he’s never been vegan and occasionally released photos of him wolfing down meat.
Trump appeared to be referencing Talarico’s boast in 2022 that his reelection effort was a “non-meat campaign.” It doesn’t appear that Talarico ever had a campaign that used the dirty phrase “beat meat.”
The president’s riff about “Talafreako” drew laughs from the crowd.
Trump promises $5,000 dividend to every adult American citizen if Republicans win the midterm elections
By Victor Nava
President Trump pledged to give every US citizen a $5,000 dividend Wednesday if Republicans keep the House and Senate after the midterm elections.
“Here is my promise: If the Republicans win the House of Representatives and the United States Senate, both of them, because of our economic, tremendous economic success …. I will issue a dividend to every adult citizen in the United States of America for $5,000,” Trump said at the GOP midterm convention in Dallas.
“I would advise Iran not to get cute because you’ll have to hit them very hard,” he added. “We have no choice. We have no choice.”
The president also acknowledged the criticism he’s received over the spike in gas prices due to the war in Iran after the theocratic regime caused mayhem in the Strait of Hormuz oil chokepoint.
“It’s the state sponsor of terror all over the world,” Trump said. “Considered just about the most evil country, we cannot let them have a nuclear weapon.”
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.