Trump is hosting a midterm conference, and no one wants to go
The president is hosting a midterms conference in Dallas, but does the event only showcase the desperation of the MAGA movement?
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What’s the story?
Trump is holding a convention – but no one wants to go.
In a break with US political tradition, the president is holding a two-day event in Dallas, Texas ahead of the upcoming midterms. The president’s historic low approval ratings suggest Republicans will face a brutal defeat in the November vote.
Dallas, a deeply red state, is packed with reporters, activists and campaigners – the only people missing are the Republican representatives.
A recent poll showed that more than half the Republican members of Congress were either not attending, or “checking their schedules” – which is a no for people who don’t want Trump to know they're not coming.
“Trump is calling this party the ‘Trumpalooza’ or the ‘Trumpalumpa’ or something like that, because he thinks that it helps Republicans if his name is on the ballot,” says Emily Maitlis.
“But the Republicans that are staying away clearly think he is no help to them at all.”
Miles Taylor, who worked for Trump during his first term in office, tells The News Agents his administration is worried whether they can fill seats in the arena.
“Donald Trump's poll numbers are historically low. He is in the low 30s, which is catastrophic territory for an American president,” Miles says.
“They were charging between $25,000 and $100,000 a seat at this convention from the actual candidates who need to be spending their money on running for re-election.
“Now to fill seats, the administration has been sending text messages to random Dallas residents, telling them they have free tickets to come see Donald Trump.”
Many people in Dallas, he adds, thought they were being scammed, and local news reports were broadcast to assure them that wasn’t the case.
Why is this event happening?
While Miles says Trump is hosting this because he believes his star power will help Republican reps score votes in the midterms, Jon says it’s more that he simply no longer cares about American people.
“Donald Trump just doesn't give a shit at the moment. His war in Iran and his tariffs policy is driving up costs for ordinary Americans, and he's saying: 'Yeah, I know. Tough’,” Jon says.
US reports claim there is now no-one working in the Administration who dares contradict Donald Trump.
“They all know that on most of the issues he's wrong, but he's an 80-year-old irascible old man who doesn't want to be told that,” Jon adds.
“He thinks he's right, and he doesn't give a shit about what anyone says in opposition to him.”
Jon adds that White House staff think he will "ruin their lives" if he thinks they have crossed him.
“That seems to be the fatalism which has resulted in this convention taking place over the next two days, because no one wants to say to him: ‘Donald, it is better if it doesn't happen’.”
What can the lucky guests expect to see?
Well that’s easy to answer: Trump, lots of Trump.
Donald Trump is delivering the keynote speech on both nights, replacing his own vice president JD Vance, who was dropped from the top spot on the first night after some last minute tinkering with the schedule.
But anyone with a ticket who can read between the lines may also witness a little desperation from the MAGA movement.
“We are in deep red Texas. The fact that Republicans are doing their convention here says everything,” says Miles.
“Conventions are normally held in a state that a party thinks is aspirational, a swing state that they might try to win over to their side.
“You rarely hold it in a place that is safe ground. The fact that the convention is being held here in Dallas this week shows you how nervous Republicans are about losing the state of Texas.”