President Donald Trump is set to deliver the keynote address at the Republican Party’s first midterm election convention in Dallas on Wednesday. His speech is scheduled for shortly after 9 PM ET.
The two-day convention was organized by Trump to consolidate his Republican base and boost his image ahead of the November midterm elections. The event is being billed as “Trump-a-palooza,” although dozens of Republicans in tight races have said they will not attend, according to an NBC News count.
The convention’s program includes a series of speeches focused on Republican policies including taxes, parental rights and public safety.
Trump’s Dallas Speech Follows Air Force One delay
Trump’s trip to Dallas was slightly delayed after military personnel accidentally triggered an inflatable slide attached to the Qatar-donated Air Force One, according to a person briefed on the matter.
The slide inflated just before Trump was scheduled to board the plane. As officials checked it, Trump exited Marine One and told reporters they were “checking the slide.”
White House communications director Steven Chueng later said, “As the President has said, the slide was checked out to make sure everything works perfectly.”
Trump also said there were no security concerns when asked about the incident.
“No, they were checking it before, and they just wanted to make sure,” Trump told reporters. Asked whether he believed the plane was safe to fly, he chuckled and said, “Yeah, I am or I wouldn’t be on it.”
The plane landed safely in Dallas at around 5:15 PM ET.
The convention began with Republican leaders portraying Democrats as radical extremists and out of touch with American values. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise urged Republicans to vote against socialism, “Biden inflation” and what he described as Democratic efforts to raise taxes.
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer called the election a battle between common sense and Democratic socialists. He also called New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani a “commie” and criticized Rep. Ilhan Omar and Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for a Senate seat in Michigan.
Other scheduled speakers on the first night include Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Attorney General Todd Blanche, Mehmet Oz and Republican Senate candidates Ken Paxton and Mike Collins, who are both in tight races.
Trump is expected to take the stage for his keynote address shortly after 9 PM ET, marking the main speech of the first night of the Dallas convention.
