President Donald Trump returned to North Carolina on Wednesday for a campaign rally with Republican U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley, using the appearance to make a direct pitch to voters in one of the country’s closely watched Senate contests.
Speaking at Gastonia Municipal Airport on Sept. 16, Trump urged Republicans to turn out for Whatley in November and repeatedly attacked Democratic nominee Roy Cooper’s record as governor. He devoted a substantial portion of the speech to crime, while also talking about the economy, immigration, Iran and his administration’s record.
Trump also repeated the message he delivered at the Republican Midterm Convention in Dallas last week: Republican voters should approach the midterms as though Trump himself were on the ballot.
Watch Trump’s Full Gastonia Rally
Watch President Trump’s complete remarks from the Sept. 16 campaign rally in Gastonia, North Carolina, below.
Full Video: Watch directly on YouTube
Trump opened his remarks by immediately turning to Whatley, praising his work during the 2024 presidential campaign and telling the crowd that Republicans needed to send him to the Senate.
“We’re gonna elect Michael Whatley. That’s what we’re gonna do,” Trump said at the beginning of the speech.
Whatley previously served as chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party and later as chairman of the Republican National Committee. Trump endorsed him in the Republican primary and has remained closely involved in his campaign for the seat being vacated by retiring Republican Sen. Thom Tillis.
Whatley joined Trump onstage and tied his Senate campaign closely to the president. He recalled joining Trump’s 2016 campaign and said he was running to help North Carolina families pursue the “American Dream.”
Trump Goes After Roy Cooper on Crime
Some of Trump’s sharpest attacks were directed at Cooper, the former two-term governor who is now the Democratic Senate nominee. Trump argued that Cooper’s record on crime and criminal justice should be a central issue in the race.
Trump focused in particular on inmates released during Cooper’s tenure, repeatedly blaming the former governor for crimes committed after their release. He also played a video for the crowd about the 2025 killing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte light rail train.
Some of Trump’s broader claims about Cooper’s responsibility are disputed. North Carolina’s crime index rate rose 2.3 percent between 2022 and 2023 before falling 4.2 percent over 2023 and 2024, according to state data reviewed by Roll Call. The inmate releases Trump discussed also resulted from a 2021 legal settlement rather than a unilateral decision by Cooper.
The emphasis nevertheless offered a preview of one Republican argument against Cooper heading into the final weeks of the campaign. Trump portrayed Whatley as the tougher alternative on crime, immigration and public safety.
“Pretend I’m on the Ballot”
Trump also repeated a line from his appearance at the Republican Midterm Convention in Dallas, asking supporters to treat the November election as though they were voting for him again.
“In this election, I’m asking you to pretend I’m on the ballot just one more time,” Trump told the Gastonia crowd.
The message reflects Trump’s increasingly direct role in the Republican midterm campaign. He told supporters that Republican candidates benefit when his voters turn out and said he plans to continue campaigning around the country before Election Day.
Trump also said he intends to return to North Carolina before Nov. 3 to campaign for Whatley again.
Trump Again Promises a $5,000 Dividend
Trump used the rally to renew one of the biggest promises from his recent campaign appearances: a $5,000 payment to American adults if Republicans retain control of Congress.
“If the Republicans win the House and Senate, I will issue what we will all call, from now on, the Trump dividend,” Trump said, adding that every adult would receive $5,000.
Trump has said the payments could be funded by revenue generated through tariffs. The proposal would require congressional action, and lawmakers have not yet approved a program providing the payments.
Trump returned to the promise near the end of his remarks, telling the crowd that Republicans would deliver the payments if they win in November.
Iran, Prices and the Economy
Trump also spent part of the speech defending his economic record and addressing the continuing conflict with Iran. Affordability remains a major issue heading into the midterms, and Trump blamed Democrats for the inflation and price increases that preceded his return to office.
On Iran, Trump said the conflict would eventually reach what he called a “really good conclusion” and suggested that could happen either before or after the election. He also touted the damage inflicted on Iran’s military and defended his administration’s blockade.
The economy creates a complicated backdrop for Republican candidates this fall. Retiring Sen. Thom Tillis told reporters Wednesday that high prices remain politically difficult for the party in power and that there is limited time before Election Day for voters to see substantial changes.
Whatley and Cooper Head Into the Final Weeks
The Gastonia rally puts Trump’s political organization directly into the North Carolina Senate contest as the campaign enters its final seven weeks.
Whatley is attempting to keep the seat in Republican hands following Tillis’ retirement. Cooper brings substantial statewide name recognition to the race after serving two terms as governor and four terms as North Carolina attorney general.
The two campaigns have drawn a sharp contrast. Whatley has tied himself closely to Trump and argues that he would support the president’s agenda in the Senate. Cooper has focused heavily on affordability while criticizing Whatley’s relationship with Trump and his previous work as a lobbyist.
North Carolina has voted for Trump in three consecutive presidential elections, while Democrats have repeatedly won statewide offices during the same period. The state has not elected a Democratic U.S. senator since 2008.
Trump Says He Will Be Back
Wednesday’s rally was Trump’s first campaign rally since the Republican Midterm Convention in Dallas and appears to be the beginning of a more intensive travel schedule heading toward November.
His message in Gastonia was straightforward: he wants the voters who turned out for him in presidential elections to return to the polls for Republican candidates when his name is not on the ballot.
Whether that turnout materializes will be one of the important questions of the 2026 midterms. In North Carolina, Trump made clear that Whatley will be one of the candidates receiving his direct help during the closing stretch.
Follow our 2026 Senate election coverage for the latest race updates, polling and campaign news heading into Nov. 3.