Trump announces Republicans' first midterm convention in September
Trump said the event would be used to tout his policies ahead of the midterms.
President Donald Trump announced on his social media platform Tuesday that the Republican Party will hold its first-ever midterm convention in September in an effort to sell its message to voters weeks before the high-stakes midterm elections.
"It will be fantastic! It has never been done before, and will be a truly Historic Event," Trump said about the event in his post.
Trump said the event would be used to tout his policies like the tax provisions in the president's signature tax and spending bill, border security and affordability.
"At the Event, we will have hardworking Americans, our Great Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Manufacturers, First Responders, and Job Creators who are powering our Nation's Golden Age, and proving that America's best days are still ahead of us. We will also have lots of Great Entertainment -- It will be a RALLY like none other," Trump added.
The president said that the event will happen on Sept. 9 and 10, about six weeks before the midterm elections with Republican control of the House and Senate in jeopary, which would leave the president hamstrung in his final two years in office.
Last September, Trump posted that the GOP would hold a midterm convention ahead of the 2026 elections in an effort to energize Republican voters and showcase what his administration has accomplished since his return to office.
Following Trump's announcement, Republicans started work to bring his vision to life.
During its winter meeting in January, the Republican National Committee took a key step toward holding a midterm convention when its Rules Committee advanced an amendment that would change the party’s current rule on calling conventions.
The amendment allows the RNC to convene a special ceremonial convention outside of a presidential election cycle -- “including the possibility of an America First midterm convention-style gathering aligned with President Trump’s vision for energizing the party this fall.”
The announcement of the convention comes at a daunting time for Republicans, as the political environment does not bode well for them, with Trump facing low approval ratings for his handling of the economy and large shares of Americans not supporting the war in Iran.
As for the Democratic National Committee, it announced earlier this year that it was no longer working on a 2026 convention ahead of the midterms.
A DNC official said at the time that the Democrats made a strategic decision after considering different options to boost their candidates in 2026, and that the party sees Republicans as trapped into running their own convention that will tie all their candidates to Trump.
Although the DNC said not hosting a midterm convention was a “strategic decision,” the RNC holds a massive cash advantage over the DNC.