Trump Rallies Support for Republicans, Criticizes Democrats on Crime

WHO:

NBC News - Michael Whatley is the former Republican National Committee chairman.

The Guardian - Trump described Whatley as his “hand-picked choice for Senate”.

NBC News - Trump is campaigning for Michael Whatley, the Republican Senate nominee.

The Guardian - Roy Cooper is the Democratic former governor and opponent of Whatley in the Senate race.

WHAT:

NBC News - Trump stated that the Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate by a quarter-point, marking its first increase since 2023.

NBC News - Trump claimed that North Carolina is “one of the most violent” states in the country, attributing this to the leadership of Roy Cooper.

Alternet - A New York Times poll indicated that Democrats have a significant advantage over Republicans, with likely voters favoring Democratic candidates for Congress by nearly nine percentage points.

NBC News - Trump stated, “I’m not bragging, but when I’m on the ticket Republicans have always done really well,” during the rally.

The Guardian - Trump claimed that Democrats need to flip four Republican-held seats to gain control of the Senate in the upcoming midterms.

The Guardian - Trump criticized the Federal Reserve for raising interest rates, calling it “very hostile” to him and asserting that rates were “too high”.

Alternet - According to some polls, Whatley is now trailing Cooper by double digits.

Alternet - A New York Times/Siena University poll showed likely voters favored Democratic over Republican candidates for Congress by nearly nine percentage points.

The Guardian - Trump stated, “I had my choice of the whole country. I chose Michael Whatley.”

The Guardian - Trump claimed that Democrats need to flip four Republican-held seats to gain control of the Senate in the upcoming midterms.

NBC News - Trump stated, “I just want you to go out and pretend I’m on the ticket, because essentially I am,” during the rally.

The Guardian - Trump described the murder of Iryna Zarutska as a “gruesome” attack.

The Guardian - Trump claimed that Whatley was the “candidate of law and order” who preferred criminals be “executed, arrested or deported”.

The Guardian - Trump said, “He tries to pretend he’s a moderate,” referring to Cooper.

The Guardian - Trump called Whatley a “ball-breaker” and “one of the greatest men I ever worked with in government”.

Alternet - According to some polls, Whatley is now trailing Cooper by double digits.

Alternet - A New York Times/Siena University poll showed likely voters favored Democratic over Republican candidates for Congress by nearly nine percentage points.

NBC News - Trump stated, “I’m not bragging, but when I’m on the ticket Republicans have always done really well,” during the rally.

The Guardian - Trump claimed that the Senate race is a referendum on Cooper’s governorship, emphasizing “safety” and “bad management”.

The Guardian - Trump described the murder of Iryna Zarutska, stating the attack was committed by Decarlos Brown Jr., who he falsely claimed had been released from prison by Cooper.

The Guardian - Trump criticized the Federal Reserve for raising interest rates, calling it “very hostile” to him and asserting that rates were “too high”.

NBC News - Trump criticized Democrats on crime during a rally.

The Guardian - Trump urged North Carolina voters to “pretend I’m on the ticket” and “crush the communists” in the upcoming elections.

The Guardian - Trump claimed that when he is on the ticket, Republicans have historically performed well.

The Guardian - Trump described the Senate contest as a referendum on Cooper’s governorship, focusing on “safety” and “bad management”.

The Guardian - Trump invoked the murder of Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee, to criticize Cooper.

The Guardian - Trump compared Cooper to Michael Dukakis, referencing the “Willie Horton” attack ad from the 1988 presidential campaign.

The Guardian - Trump labeled Whatley as the “candidate of law and order” who prefers criminals to be “executed, arrested or deported”.

The Guardian - Trump praised Whatley, calling him a “ball-breaker” and “one of the greatest men I ever worked with in government”.

WHERE:

NBC News - The rally took place in North Carolina.

The Guardian - Trump’s rally was held in Gastonia, North Carolina.

WHEN:

The Guardian - The upcoming elections are scheduled for November.

WHY:

NBC News - Trump’s rally aimed to energize Republican voters in a state where Democrats see a rare opportunity to flip a Senate seat due to Thom Tillis's retirement.

The Guardian - Trump’s rally aimed to energize Republican voters behind Whatley in a crucial battleground race against Cooper, as Democrats see a rare opportunity to flip a Senate seat.

The Guardian - Republicans aim to energize their base and leverage Trump’s popularity to support Whatley in a critical Senate race.

The Guardian - Democrats see an opportunity to flip a Senate seat with Thom Tillis retiring.

HOW:

NBC News - Trump used a video screen to show dozens of mugshots, comparing his attack on Cooper to the “Willie Horton” attack ad from the 1988 presidential campaign.

The Guardian - Trump used a video screen to show dozens of mugshots, comparing his attack on Cooper to the “Willie Horton” attack ad from the 1988 presidential campaign.

The Guardian - Trump attacked the Federal Reserve for raising interest rates, stating, “They’re doing the wrong thing,” and claimed rates were “too high”.

The Guardian - Trump used a video screen to show dozens of mugshots, comparing his attack on Cooper to the “Willie Horton” attack ad from the 1988 presidential campaign.

The Guardian - Trump used a video screen to show mugshots and make comparisons to past political campaigns to emphasize his points.

The Guardian - Trump criticized the Federal Reserve for raising interest rates, calling it “very hostile” to him and claiming rates were “too high”.

(UPDATED September 17, 2026 21:58 UTC)

Trump announced that the Federal Reserve has raised its benchmark interest rate by a quarter-point, marking its first increase since 2023. During a rally aimed at energizing Republican voters, he described North Carolina as “one of the most violent” states, blaming its leadership under Roy Cooper, and used a video screen to display mugshots, drawing a parallel to the infamous “Willie Horton” ad from the 1988 campaign. Meanwhile, a New York Times poll revealed that Democrats hold a significant advantage over Republicans, with likely voters favoring Democratic candidates for Congress by nearly nine percentage points.

(UPDATED September 17, 2026 16:59 UTC)

At a recent rally, Trump emphasized his track record, stating, “I’m not bragging, but when I’m on the ticket Republicans have always done really well,” as he aimed to rally support for Whatley in a key Senate race against Cooper. He also pointed out that Democrats need to flip four Republican-held seats to gain control of the Senate in the upcoming midterms, while criticizing the Federal Reserve for raising interest rates, calling it “very hostile” and asserting that rates were “too high.” To bolster his message, Trump showcased a video screen displaying numerous mugshots, likening his strategy against Cooper to the infamous “Willie Horton” attack ad from the 1988 presidential campaign.

(UPDATED September 17, 2026 15:59 UTC)

In a recent rally, Trump endorsed Michael Whatley, describing him as his “hand-picked choice for Senate,” and emphasized that he had his pick of candidates from across the country. He also pointed out that Democrats need to flip four Republican-held seats to take control of the Senate in the upcoming midterms, framing Whatley's race against Cooper as a critical battleground. Additionally, Trump criticized the Federal Reserve for raising interest rates, asserting that they are “doing the wrong thing” and that the rates are “too high.”

(UPDATED September 17, 2026 13:06 UTC)

At a recent rally, Trump urged supporters to act as if he were on the ticket, saying, “I just want you to go out and pretend I’m on the ticket, because essentially I am.” He also described the murder of Iryna Zarutska as a “gruesome” attack while praising Whatley as the “candidate of law and order,” despite polls indicating that Whatley is trailing Cooper by double digits. Additionally, a New York Times/Siena University poll revealed that likely voters currently favor Democratic candidates over Republicans for Congress by nearly nine percentage points.

(UPDATED September 17, 2026 05:58 UTC)

At a recent rally, Trump declared, “I’m not bragging, but when I’m on the ticket Republicans have always done really well,” as he aimed to rally support for Whatley in a key Senate race against Cooper. He criticized Cooper's governorship, framing the Senate race as a referendum on safety and management, while also attacking the Federal Reserve for what he called “very hostile” interest rate hikes. To drive his point home, Trump displayed a video featuring numerous mugshots, likening his strategy to the infamous “Willie Horton” ad from the 1988 presidential campaign.

(UPDATED September 17, 2026 05:02 UTC)

Trump is actively campaigning for Michael Whatley, the Republican Senate nominee, during a rally in Gastonia, North Carolina, where he criticized Democrats on crime and urged voters to “pretend I’m on the ticket” in the upcoming elections this November. He described the Senate contest as a referendum on former Democratic governor Roy Cooper's leadership, invoking the tragic murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska to emphasize his points and labeling Whatley as the “candidate of law and order.” Trump also praised Whatley as a “ball-breaker” and highlighted his tough stance on crime, while using a video screen to draw comparisons to past political campaigns and criticize the Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes.