President Donald Trump returns to the campaign trail Wednesday night for a rally with Republican U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley in Gastonia, North Carolina.
Trump is scheduled to deliver remarks at Gastonia Municipal Airport as Republicans turn their attention to the final weeks of the 2026 midterm campaign. Whatley is running against former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper for the Senate seat being vacated by Republican Sen. Thom Tillis.
Trump Rally in Gastonia, North Carolina
Wednesday, September 16, 2026
Event: Trump campaign rally with Michael Whatley
Location: Gastonia Municipal Airport, Gastonia, North Carolina
Address: 1126 Gaston Day School Road
Start Time: 7 p.m. ET
Speakers: President Donald Trump and Michael Whatley
Tickets: Official event registration
Watch Live: Trump Rally in Gastonia
Live coverage is scheduled to begin ahead of Trump’s remarks Wednesday evening. Watch the complete event from Gastonia below.
Live Stream: Watch directly on YouTube
Trump Returns to North Carolina for Whatley
Wednesday’s rally puts Trump back on the campaign trail less than seven weeks before the Nov. 3 midterm elections. It also brings him directly into North Carolina’s open Senate race, one of the major contests on the 2026 map.
Whatley previously served as chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party and later as chairman of the Republican National Committee. He stepped down from the RNC before launching his Senate campaign and won the Republican nomination to succeed Tillis.
Democrats nominated Cooper, who served two terms as governor of North Carolina. The race gives voters a contest between two candidates who were already prominent figures in state and national politics before entering the Senate campaign.
Trump and Whatley also have a long political relationship. Whatley led the RNC during the 2024 presidential campaign, and Trump endorsed him in the North Carolina Senate race.
North Carolina Takes Center Stage in the Senate Fight
The Gastonia appearance comes less than a week after Trump headlined the Republican Midterm Convention in Dallas. During his convention speech, Trump urged supporters to approach November as though his own name were on the ballot and used much of the address to promote Republican candidates and his administration’s record.
Wednesday night’s rally gives Trump another opportunity to carry that message into a competitive Senate race. The economy, immigration and the administration’s record are among the issues likely to come up as Trump and Whatley address supporters in Gastonia.
The event is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. ET. As with most campaign rallies, the actual speaking schedule can change and Trump’s remarks may begin later than the announced event time.
Follow our 2026 Senate election coverage for the latest race updates, polling and campaign news heading into November.