In three speeches delivered in about 28 hours (a Peterbilt truck plant in Denton, Texas on October 1, a packed rally in Durant, Oklahoma that same night, and a midterm rally in Mobile, Alabama on October 2), President Donald Trump pitched the November 3 elections as a referendum on his “golden age,” urged supporters to “pretend I’m on the ballot,” and promised a $5,000 “Trump Dividend” for every adult citizen if Republicans keep the House and Senate. He said the Iran war will end “very soon,” probably right after the election, announced that Europe agreed to release diesel reserves, touted $500 Obamacare refund checks, and boosted Republican candidates including Ken Paxton in Texas, Kevin Hern and Mike Mazzei in Oklahoma, and Tommy Tuberville and Barry Moore in Alabama. He also mocked Paxton’s Democratic opponent, James Talarico, as a vegan who throws up after eating barbecue. Many of the numbers he cited are disputed; see our companion fact check. Assistance from Claude AI.
Participants
Denton, Texas: Peterbilt Motors plant (October 1, 2026)
| Name | Title / role (as given in the transcript or generally known) |
|---|---|
| Donald Trump | President of the United States (featured speaker) |
| Sarah Renshaw | Peterbilt events manager; nearly 20 years with the company; spoke briefly |
| Phillip Juarez | Peterbilt assistant plant manager; 25 years with the company; spoke briefly |
| Preston (last name not given) | Company executive Trump repeatedly thanked and described as head of Peterbilt. PACCAR’s CEO is Preston Feight, but the transcript does not confirm they are the same person |
| Brian Danhof | Peterbilt plant manager (praised by Juarez) |
| Ken Paxton | Texas Attorney General; Republican nominee for U.S. Senate |
| Ted Cruz | U.S. Senator (R-Texas) |
| James Lankford | U.S. Senator (R-Oklahoma) |
| Howard Lutnick | Secretary of Commerce |
| Ronny Jackson, Brandon Gill, Pat Fallon, Keith Self, Jake Ellzey, Roger Williams, Craig Goldman, Beth Van Duyne | Republican U.S. Representatives from Texas (Jackson is also a former White House physician) |
| Tan Parker | Introduced as the state Senate majority leader |
| Dennis Rodman | Former NBA player |
| Chris Watts | Mayor of Denton |
| David McIntosh | President, Club for Growth |
| Dr. Harrison Keller | President, University of North Texas |
| Dr. Carine Feyten | Chancellor, Texas Woman’s University |
| Andy Eads | Denton County Judge |
| Tracy Murphree | Denton County Sheriff |
| Referenced, not present | James Talarico (Democratic Senate nominee, mocked but not named in Denton), Nicolás Maduro, Xi Jinping, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Scott Bessent (Treasury Secretary), Jamieson Greer (U.S. Trade Representative), Brooke Rollins (Agriculture Secretary), Joe Biden, Barack Obama |
Durant, Oklahoma: political rally (October 1, 2026)
| Name | Title / role |
|---|---|
| Donald Trump | President of the United States (featured speaker) |
| Margo Martin | Longtime Trump aide and Oklahoma native; said a few words from the stage |
| Unidentified Oklahoma supporters | Men featured in a video clip and then brought on stage; each offered brief praise |
| Markwayne Mullin | Secretary of Homeland Security; former U.S. Senator from Oklahoma |
| Kevin Hern | U.S. Representative; Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate seat Mullin vacated |
| Mike Mazzei | Republican nominee for governor; former state budget secretary |
| Kevin Stitt | Governor of Oklahoma (term-limited) |
| James Lankford | U.S. Senator (R-Oklahoma) |
| Mark Tedford, Josh Brecheen, Frank Lucas, Tom Cole | Republican candidates or members of Congress for Oklahoma’s 1st through 4th districts |
| T.W. Shannon | Republican nominee for lieutenant governor |
| Cindy Byrd | Republican nominee for state treasurer |
| Brandon Beach | U.S. Treasurer |
| Charity Linch | Oklahoma GOP chair |
| Larry Murray, Karen Hardin | Republican National Committee members |
| David McIntosh | President, Club for Growth |
| Harold Hamm | Oil industry executive |
| Barry Switzer | Former college and NFL football coach |
| Dennis Rodman and “Freedom” | Former NBA players (Freedom introduced by a single name; described as a former Oklahoma City Thunder center) |
| Gary Batton | Chief of the Choctaw Nation |
| Referenced, not present | Cyndi Munson (Democratic nominee for governor), N’Kiyla Thomas (Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate), James Talarico, Ken Paxton, Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska, JD Vance, Dana White, Vladimir Putin |
Mobile, Alabama: midterm rally (October 2, 2026)
| Name | Title / role |
|---|---|
| Donald Trump | President of the United States (featured speaker) |
| Tommy Tuberville | U.S. Senator (R-Alabama); Republican candidate for governor |
| Barry Moore | U.S. Representative; Republican candidate for U.S. Senate |
| Jerry Carl | Republican candidate for Congress |
| Rhett Marques | Republican candidate for Congress (Trump said 2nd District) |
| Katie Britt | U.S. Senator (R-Alabama) |
| Wesley (first name only) | Former college All-American and NFL player, seated near Sen. Britt |
| Robert Aderholt, Dale Strong, Gary Palmer | Republican U.S. Representatives from Alabama |
| Paul Lee | Alabama House Majority Leader |
| John Wahl, Katherine Robertson, Corey Hill, Caroleene Dobson | Republican candidates for lieutenant governor, attorney general, agriculture commissioner and secretary of state |
| Bill Pulte | Director, Federal Housing Finance Agency |
| Vicki Drummond | RNC Secretary |
| Michael Whatley | Former RNC chair; Republican Senate candidate in North Carolina |
| Scott Stadthagen, Bill Harris | Alabama GOP chair; national committeeman |
| Spiro Cheriogotis | Mayor of Mobile (spelling as in the transcript) |
| Nate Oats, Jake Coker | Alabama basketball coach; former Alabama quarterback |
| Paul Burch | Mobile County Sheriff |
| Jo Bonner | President, University of South Alabama |
| Laura Loomer | Political activist |
| Referenced, not present | Doug Jones (Democratic nominee for governor), Sean Duffy (Transportation Secretary), Jeff Landry (Louisiana governor), Speaker Mike Johnson, Sen. Maria Cantwell, JD Vance, Pete Buttigieg, Jerome Powell, Claudia Sheinbaum (unnamed “president of Mexico”) |
At a Glance
- Denton (about 55 minutes): A factory-floor speech built around Peterbilt’s workers, tariffs and truck regulations. It doubled as a Texas Senate campaign event for Paxton.
- Durant (about 80 minutes): A rain-soaked rally. Trump said he drove part of the way in his armored limousine because weather grounded his aircraft, and that thousands of people were stuck outside the venue.
- Mobile (about 70 minutes): A rally in the city where Trump says his 2015 campaign took off. Alabama candidates joined him on stage.
Context for general readers: All three events were speeches, not interviews or press conferences. Trump spoke from prepared themes but wandered freely, and several stories (the “vegan” bit, the “fifth favorite word” tariff story, the $1,776 military payment story) appeared in more than one speech.
The Midterm Pitch: “Pretend I’m on the Ballot”
The core message. Trump argued that his name is not on the November 3 ballot but the election is still about him. In Durant he said turnout drops when he is not on the ticket and asked the crowd to “pretend I’m running.” He warned that if Republicans lose Congress, Democrats will impeach him, citing an unnamed Democratic congressman who had said “yeah, I think so” when asked about impeachment.
History working against him. In Durant and Mobile he acknowledged that a president’s party usually loses ground in midterms. He called that pattern inexplicable and promised to “break” it.
Where the fight is. He said the real battlefield is about 35 contests (he sometimes said 40), “none of them in Oklahoma.” He named Michigan, Texas and Alaska as worries, and said he was going to Alaska next. He told Durant supporters they must “get people from other states” to vote and pointed them to swampthevoteusa.com.
Get out the vote. In every speech he warned against complacency, saying the press runs fake polls that make Republicans think they have either won or lost. He cited October 28 as the start of early voting (in Oklahoma, per his remarks).
Campaign stamina. In Denton he said he did about 120 days of rallies in 2024 and, for 2026, planned a shorter stretch of 32 days. He recalled a record crowd of 117,000 at the Jersey Shore and called Butler, Pennsylvania, a rally that “didn’t work out so well.”
The $5,000 “Trump Dividend” and Tax Promises
What he promised. In Durant and Mobile, and again in his closing agenda lists, Trump said that if Republicans win the House and Senate, he will give all adult citizens $5,000 each.
How he said it would be paid for.
– Republicans “can do it and Democrats can’t” because of tariff revenue and “record-setting economic success.”
– He put the cost at about $1 trillion, then said it was small next to the $21 trillion he says is being invested in the United States.
– In Mobile he added a condition: recipients “have to spend it in the United States.” He also said recirculated spending means it “costs us far less than it sounds.”
The military precedent. He told a story, twice, about a $1,776 payment to every member of the military. Staff offered $1,775; he asked if one more dollar could make it $1,776, “a very special date.” He used it to argue that people said the payment “couldn’t be done” and that he “always comes through.”
Tax law claims. Trump described the 2025 tax law (the “Great Big Beautiful Bill”) as the biggest tax cut in history, citing no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, no tax on Social Security for seniors, and a deduction for interest on car loans, but only for American-made cars. In Durant he also said the law saved family farms from the estate tax, or “death tax.” He said every Democrat in Congress voted against it.
What Democrats would do. Trump said a Democratic win means higher taxes (he said $4 trillion in Durant and $5 trillion in Mobile), a depression “like 1929,” and a reversal of the tax breaks.
Permanence. His closing agenda in both rallies included making all of the tax cuts permanent.
Context: The $5,000 payment would need an act of Congress. Independent estimates put the cost above $1 trillion. See the companion fact check for details.
The Economy: Jobs, Incomes, Stocks, Investment and Tariffs
Jobs. Trump said more Americans are working than at any time in history “by far” (all three speeches), that more than one million private-sector jobs have been created since he took office (Durant), that the U.S. added 60,000 manufacturing jobs this year, that manufacturing wages rose “close to $4,000” since he took office, and that heavy-truck manufacturing is up about 31% with truck shipments at an all-time high (Denton).
Incomes and poverty. He cited a report “announced last month” that real median household income is the highest ever, and said poverty is at a record low, including African American, Hispanic and Native American poverty.
Stocks. He said the stock market hit record highs 81 times (Denton, Durant) or 82 times (Mobile) in “a year and a half,” and that 401(k) accounts are the highest ever.
Investment. He said $21 trillion is being invested in the U.S. in 15 months, against less than a trillion (he also said “half a trillion”) during four years of the Biden administration.
Trade. He said exports are at an all-time high, the U.S. trade deficit with China is the lowest in 44 years, and Canada “rips us” off “but not anymore.” He said President Xi, who had just visited, is “central casting” and that “we get along great.” In Durant he said he put a 25% tariff on foreign cars and automakers from Germany, Japan, South Korea, Canada and Mexico are “pouring” in.
The tariff story (told twice). In Denton and Durant, Trump recounted telling the press that “tariff” is his favorite word. Reporters asked about God, his wife, children and religion, so he demoted it to his “fifth favorite word.”
Obama’s quote. In all three speeches he said Barack Obama predicted manufacturing would “never come back,” and he was wrong.
A communications problem. In Denton and Mobile he said the administration is doing a “phenomenal job” but a “bad job” of public relations because the press will not report the good news.
At the Peterbilt Plant: Worker Stories and Truck Rules
The setup. Trump opened by saying Peterbilt makes 200 trucks a day, sells them faster than it can build them, and is doing a “massive expansion.” He repeatedly thanked Preston, who he said told him: “Your policies have made this place so successful.” He praised the boxy Peterbilt look and said he does not care whether it is aerodynamic.
Renshaw’s story. Sarah Renshaw, nearly 20 years at the plant, said her mother, father, husband and now her son work there, making her family “third generation.” She said that because of the tariffs, Peterbilt increased production and hired 1,000 employees.
Juarez’s story. Phillip Juarez, 25 years at Peterbilt, said his father started in 1983 and that his mother, brother and other relatives worked there. He said the plant builds and sells 100% of its trucks in America.
Regulation. Trump said he ended the “radical Democrat green scam” and Biden-era fuel-emission standards, which he said forced three computers into a truck engine and added about $3,000 to the cost. He said he is rolling back a nitrogen-oxide rule that would have “devastated” heavy-truck makers, and that this action alone would cut about $6,000 per truck.
Durant follow-up. In Durant he said Peterbilt is adding 1,000 jobs and a third shift, and that “they work round the clock now.”
The lawnmower riff. He said that when he buys equipment for his golf clubs he asks for old models, because computers “all over” new ones make them hard to run.
Closing note. He joked that Secret Service will not let him drive a Peterbilt but that he would buy one if he gets approval.
Prices, Gas and the “Affordability” Fight
The argument. Trump said “affordability” is a word Democrats invented and the press adopted. He said he inherited high prices and has lowered them.
Eggs. He told a story about being asked about egg prices at his first news conference, and about the Easter egg hunt (he refused plastic eggs). In Denton he said Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins did a great job and eggs are cheaper than five years ago.
Gasoline and oil. He said gasoline is lower than under Biden and oil prices are lower, “despite” the Iran war. He recalled seeing gas at $1.95 and $1.85 a gallon while speaking in Iowa (he told this in Denton and Mobile). He said oil is now at about $90, after predictions of $300 to $400.
Inflation. He said inflation is real but Democrats caused it, called the Biden inflation the worst “in history,” and said prices will come “pouring down” or “tumbling” once the Iran war ends.
Diesel (breaking news in Mobile). Trump said that earlier on October 2 he spoke with G7 leaders and Europe agreed to release “massive amounts of diesel fuel from the heavily stocked reserves,” starting immediately. He said diesel prices were already falling.
Energy and Data Centers
“Green New Scam.” Trump mocked climate policy, said “the planet got cooler,” said a record amount of Arctic ice had formed, and called climate change a scam. He blamed “windmills” in Durant for ruined views, falling home values and dead birds.
Data centers. In Denton he said he met data-center companies at the White House the day before. He said he told them to “take care of the community,” and described a Louisiana parish where teachers got $50,000 and another place where everyone got $10,000. He said companies should “call it a dividend,” that opposition turns to support, and that data centers are “bigger than the Industrial Revolution.”
Oil and gas. He said Texas oil production is at the highest level in history “by far.” He said that adding Venezuela gives the U.S. about 58% of the world’s fuel, that Venezuelan oil is going to Houston, Louisiana and Alaska, and that the U.S. will soon fill its Strategic Petroleum Reserve “for almost nothing.” In Durant he said he announced “one of the largest energy infrastructure investments in American history” the day before, including a colossal new natural gas power plant in Texas.
The Iran War
Status. Trump described a war with Iran that began months earlier. He said “we have a war going on” but also that Iran is “ready to fold,” and promised it ends “very soon… one way or the other,” adding in Mobile that it will probably end “right after the election.”
Claims about Iran’s condition.
– Iran has about 312% inflation (310% in Mobile) and a worthless currency.
– It has no navy (he said 159 ships are “at the bottom of the sea”), no air force, no anti-aircraft, and few missiles.
– Its leaders “are gone,” so “we don’t know who the hell to deal with.” He said intercepts show officials saying they do not want to be president.
– A U.S. blockade means Iran “hasn’t had one ship get through” in months, and the U.S. is moving oil out of the Strait of Hormuz.
– Mines are “a nuisance,” but the Navy has the situation “in control.”
U.S. cost. In Mobile he said the U.S. has lost 18 people in Iran, versus thousands in Vietnam and Afghanistan, and that the war has lasted “a little more than six months.”
The nuclear program. He said Iran was three to four weeks from a bomb, that B-2 bombers flew from Missouri on a 37-hour round trip and dropped bombs down air shafts in “one night,” followed by about 38 Tomahawk missiles. He defended the war’s length: critics say he promised “two or three weeks,” but he only promised to destroy their nuclear capability, and the U.S. stayed longer so a future president would not inherit the mess.
Diplomacy. In Durant: Iran wants a deal, “maybe we’ll do it or maybe we won’t,” and “let’s just finish the job.” In Denton, he said you cannot make a deal with them that they will honor.
Context: Iran’s Strait of Hormuz closure pushed global fuel prices up this year. See the fact check for the status of the blockade and casualty counts.
Venezuela, Maduro and the Drug-Boat Campaign
The raid. Trump repeated the story of the January raid that captured Nicolás Maduro:
– 201 American troops went in “with gunfire blazing” against a military base with thousands of soldiers.
– Maduro was in a steel “house of protection” and the doors were broken open “in less time than it takes you to start that truck.”
– He captured him “within minutes.” In Durant he said Maduro was out in about 18 minutes.
How long it lasted. He gave different figures: 48 minutes, a day, 140 minutes and 148 minutes. He said he had lost nobody, but later added “one pilot who was very seriously injured” who received the Congressional Medal of Honor for landing a Chinook helicopter on a damaged leg.
Prisons. He said Maduro “emptied his prisons” into the United States through Biden’s “open border.”
Drug boats. He said drugs entering by sea are down 97% and that fishermen in Venezuela are afraid to go out. In Durant he joked, “I’d like to apologize to the fishermen of Venezuela.”
Oil. In Mobile he said Venezuela is “amazing” to work with and the U.S. is taking out “billions of dollars of oil.”
Immigration, Crime and the National Guard
The border. Trump said that for the last 17 months (15 or 16 in other sentences) “zero illegal aliens” have been admitted to the United States, that it is the “strongest border in history,” and that 25 million people entered illegally under Biden (he later said the true number is higher).
Deportations. In Durant he said 11,888 “killers” have been removed, adding that more than half killed more than one person. He also described people “from the Congo” and “mental institutions” entering. He said refugee admissions from Somalia were halted, and, in Mobile, that Somalia has a 98% unemployment rate but is “very good at ripping us off.”
Crime. In every speech he said the murder rate is the lowest in about 125 years, since 1900, and “the best crime numbers” in that span.
National Guard. In Durant and Mobile he said Guard deployments cut crime in Memphis (down 82%), New Orleans (down 83%; “safest” Mardi Gras in 68 years), and Washington, D.C. (down more than 80%, with murders down 91% in Mobile). In Mobile he cited Birmingham murders down 44%.
A story from the border. In Denton, he described a border resident on television who said that under Biden people were “pouring across our lawn” and that now it is “like living in a different country.”
Culture-War Themes
Gender and sports. In all three speeches Trump condemned what he called “transgender mutilization of your children” and men playing in women’s sports. In Denton he asked Paxton from the stage to say he opposes both. In Durant and Mobile he introduced very tall guests (Dennis Rodman and a man known as Freedom, plus a former NFL player named Wesley in Mobile) and joked about how they would fare in women’s sports. He later gave Rodman and Freedom a “full pardon” to play in women’s sports.
Laws he wants. His closing agenda said he would “enshrine” in permanent law “no men in women’s sports, no transgender mutilization.”
Other targets. He said he abolished DEI policies, removed critical race theory from schools, made English the official language, and halted refugee admissions from Somalia. He mocked “Gays for Palestine” in Mobile.
Name-calling. Trump used “Dumocrats” repeatedly, said he thought of the term about four weeks earlier, and described Democratic candidates in several states as “communists” or “socialists.” In Durant he said Democrats had nominated “dozens of members of the Democratic Socialists of America.”
Elections, “Rigging” and the Media
Rigging claims.
– In Denton he said the true 2024 vote was probably 85 or 87 million, though he was credited with 78 or 79, “because it’s so rigged,” so Republicans “made it too big to rig.”
– He told the Los Angeles mayoral story: Spencer Pratt “was doing great,” his opponent was “crying,” then “surged” a week and a half later. He said “the only time they surge is when they cheat.”
– In Durant he said “they rig elections in this country.”
Voter ID and the SAVE America Act. He said every Democrat voted against voter ID and proof of citizenship “because they want to cheat,” and said the SAVE America Act is “very close” to passage (Mobile). He listed it in his closing agenda.
The press. In Denton he called some reporters “evil” and “sicko” while praising photographers; in Durant he called the media “elite” but “going out of business.” In Denton he contrasted today’s press with how it treated Biden, mocking a “favorite ice cream” question. He told the crowd that if he says “something a little bit incorrect” the headline is “He lied.”
Fed and interest rates. In Durant he said a board “controlled by Democrats” keeps rates high. In Durant and Mobile he said the Fed spent $4 billion (Durant) or $3.5 billion (Mobile) renovating a couple of buildings that could have been done for $25 million, and told Tuberville in Mobile, “no overruns, please.”
Race by Race
Texas: Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate. Trump called Paxton “the greatest attorney general in the United States,” a loyal ally who “could be a pain in the ass sometimes,” and said “all they need is a couple of votes” to lose the Senate. Of Democrat James Talarico, he said: “You got a freak-o.” He told a story, in all three speeches, that Talarico is a vegan, eats meat at barbecues and then goes “behind the tent and throws up.” In Durant he called him “Talafreako,” a “Democrat communist.” He also needled Ted Cruz about their 2016 fight.
Oklahoma.
– Senate: He backed Kevin Hern against Democrat N’Kiyla Thomas, whom he called a self-proclaimed socialist who wants to abolish ICE and eliminate capitalism.
– Governor: He backed Mike Mazzei, saying he built the largest savings account in state history and “saved taxpayers over $10 billion,” and attacked Democrat Cyndi Munson for voting against eliminating the state income tax.
– Down-ballot: He endorsed the treasurer nominee Cindy Byrd, lieutenant governor nominee T.W. Shannon and members of Congress.
– Local color: He said he would “move to Oklahoma” but cannot run against Lankford because he already endorsed him. He praised oilman Harold Hamm (“puts a straw in the ground and oil comes pouring out”) and teased him as a cheap donor.
Alabama. He called Tommy Tuberville the “pivotal vote” for the tax law and urged his election as governor over Doug Jones, whom he called a “radical lunatic” who voted for open borders. He backed Barry Moore for Senate and Jerry Carl and Rhett Marques for Congress, and called out a long list of Alabama officials. Tuberville told the crowd Trump was “the best golfing president” and won 40 club championships.
Other states. In Durant he discussed Alaska: “a very good senator,” Dan Sullivan, faces a second candidate with the same name, “Daniel J.,” whom he said Democrats put up. He also called Michigan’s Democratic Senate candidate a “communist” and a “con man,” and mentioned a “communist” running in Minnesota.
Endorsement record. In Durant he said a CNN chart showed he was 100% in Senate endorsements and 98.37% in House endorsements.
Local Announcements and Promises
Alabama bridge. In Mobile Trump said Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy helped break ground on the new I-10 Mobile River Bridge and Bayway, “the largest infrastructure project in the history of Alabama,” made possible by $3 billion from his administration.
Alabama business. He listed investments: Mercedes-Benz ($4 billion, Tuscaloosa), U.S. Steel ($475 million, Birmingham), Eli Lilly ($6 billion, Huntsville) and ArcelorMittal ($1.2 billion). He said he put “practically everything” for Space Force in Alabama and that his administration invested $30 billion to revitalize shipbuilding, including a new submarine facility and Coast Guard cutters built in Mobile Bay.
Fannie Mae. At Tuberville’s urging, he said, Fannie Mae’s offices will move from San Francisco to Birmingham.
Oklahoma aluminum. In Durant he said the state will “build the largest aluminum factory perhaps in the world,” backed by financiers with “unlimited money.” He said “we can’t get aluminum in this country” and have to buy it from Canada.
Health Care and Drug Prices
Obamacare refund checks. Trump said “nearly one million” households that were “overcharged” by Obamacare under Biden began getting $500 refund checks “yesterday,” including nearly 150,000 families in Texas and Oklahoma.
Drug prices. He said his “Most Favored Nation” agreements cut prescription prices by “300, 400, 500, 600 and even 700%,” compared with a “one-eighth of 1%” reduction in his first term. He said he threatened foreign countries with 200% tariffs to force them to agree.
The next health plan. He promised “a truly great healthcare plan” that stops all payments to big insurance companies and gives the money directly to people so they can buy their own coverage.
The Rest of the Legislative Wish List
Trump’s closing list in Durant and Mobile, repeated nearly word for word:
– A $5,000 Trump dividend for every adult citizen
– Permanent tax cuts, including no tax on tips, overtime and Social Security
– A “No Invasion of Our Country Act” barring any future president from opening the border
– A health plan that pays people instead of insurers
– An end to no-cash bail
– The death penalty for large-scale drug dealers, human traffickers and anyone who kills a police officer
– The SAVE America Act with mandatory voter ID and proof of citizenship
– Permanent law on women’s sports and gender-transition care for minors
– A “war on corruption and fraud” led by Vice President JD Vance, whom Trump likened to Eliot Ness. He named fraud investigations in Minnesota and California and described people “out of Somalia” who “robbed us blind.”
Trump on Trump
- Health: He told a story about Ronny Jackson, who said Trump is “by far the healthiest president,” adding that if he did not love junk food he would “live to be 200.”
- Ballroom: He said he “just won in the Supreme Court” on the White House ballroom and that a judge told him “let the taxpayer pay.” He called himself “the only one in the world” who could agree to spend $400 million on it.
- Third term: In Durant he said he sort of calls this “our third term” but “I don’t want the results of the second term.” A supporter in the video clip said he “wished he could get a third term” and the crowd chanted “Four more years.”
- Politician for four months: He said that unlike career politicians, he was a politician for “four months” before becoming president.
- Why he came: He said staff suggested skipping Oklahoma or Texas and he refused: “I’m here to thank you for being so loyal.”
- Mobile roots: He said his 2015 campaign “sort of all began here,” when hotels and a convention center said they could not handle the crowds and the event moved to a stadium.
Notable Exchanges and Revealing Moments
- “Where the hell is Preston?” In Denton Trump spent a long stretch of the opening thanking Preston, then called him out in the crowd to ask about the NOx rule (“What do you think of it, Preston?”).
- The “vegan” bit, three times. The same Talarico story was told in Denton, Durant and Mobile with small variations.
- Trump tells the crowd not to leave Preston a commercial. After calling Peterbilt the “greatest trucks in the world,” he added, “Preston, don’t make a commercial out of that.”
- Durant crowd call-and-response. When Trump asked if anyone in the packed hall wanted to leave so people outside could come in, the crowd shouted “No.” “Well, that’s Oklahoma for you.”
- The video clip. In Durant a clip of Oklahoma supporters was played, then Trump asked for the men to be found and brought on stage. Their praise was effusive.
- Margo Martin. Trump spoke at length about her looks, said “I’m not allowed to say she’s beautiful,” and then said it anyway. She said only: “Hi, Mom and Dad.”
- Mobile’s breaking news. Trump announced the G7 diesel agreement from the stage, hours after it was reached.
- Alaska’s two Dan Sullivans. He told the story and then said “better check it by the way.”
- “Gays for Palestine.” A riff in Mobile that drew laughter from the crowd.
- The “Dumocrats” rollout. He joked that the word “may not compete with Pocahontas.”
- Rodman and Freedom. He gave the two former NBA players a “full pardon” to play women’s sports.
- The Texas ultimatum. In Denton, Trump said that if he had skipped Texas to get to Oklahoma sooner, he would have had to tell people to vote against Paxton, so he would not skip it.
Press Questions and Responses
None. There was no Q&A at any of the three events, so there are no reporter questions or responses to summarize. The only exchanges were:
– Brief remarks from Renshaw, Juarez, Martin, Tuberville, Carl, Marques and Moore.
– A few audience interjections: “Keep them waiting” (Durant, about the Oklahoma crowd), “No” (to leaving the hall), and “Cheat” (to Trump’s line about Democrats and voter ID).
– Trump’s repeated references to the press corps in the room: pointing to “all the fake news back there,” praising photographers but not reporters, and quoting what he imagined they would write. The crowd booed when he mentioned “the press.”
Policy Specifics, Timelines and Commitments
- November 3, 2026: Election Day. Trump said early voting in Oklahoma begins October 28.
- If Republicans win both chambers: $5,000 dividend per adult citizen (no date given); permanent tax cuts; the health plan; the No Invasion Act; the death-penalty proposals; the SAVE America Act.
- Iran: “Very soon,” probably “right after the election.” Oil and gas prices to fall afterward.
- G7 diesel release: Announced October 2 as beginning “immediately.”
- Obamacare refunds: $500 checks started going out September 30.
- Strategic Petroleum Reserve: Refill “very shortly,” “for almost nothing.”
- Alabama: I-10 bridge, shipbuilding and Fannie Mae move (no dates given).
- Next stops: Alaska, and Trump told Mobile “I’m seeing you on Saturday night” (he mentioned the Georgia–Alabama football game).
- Peterbilt: “If I can get approval, I’ll buy one myself.”
- Midterm bill: In Mobile he alluded to a bipartisan bill that “goes back to the House” and thanked Speaker Mike Johnson and Sen. Maria Cantwell. The transcript is garbled; context suggests college-sports legislation, but that is an inference.
A Note on the Transcripts
- The transcripts come from Factbase (Roll Call, FiscalNote). Names and titles are as the transcript introduced them; spellings such as “Talafreako,” “Charity Linch” and “Spiro Cheriogotis” are kept as written. The “StressLens” scores in the PDFs are an automated vocal analysis and were not used here.
- The first minutes of the Mobile transcript are fragmentary and contain several “[Inaudible]” gaps.
- “Preston” appears with no last name. We have not assumed his identity.
- Quotes are short and attributed. Everything else is paraphrase.
Source
Trump, Donald. “Donald Trump Addresses a Midterm Political Rally in Mobile, Alabama.” Factbase, Roll Call / FiscalNote, 2 Oct. 2026, rollcall.com/factbase. Transcript.
—. “Donald Trump Addresses a Political Rally in Durant, Oklahoma.” Factbase, Roll Call / FiscalNote, 1 Oct. 2026, rollcall.com/factbase. Transcript.
—. “Donald Trump Tours a Peterbilt Plant in Denton, Texas.” Factbase, Roll Call / FiscalNote, 1 Oct. 2026, rollcall.com/factbase. Transcript.