President Trump closed the first-ever Republican midterm convention by declaring he had kept every campaign commitment.
The two-day gathering in Dallas, Texas, wrapped Wednesday night with the president’s 25-minute finale before red, white, blue and gold balloons — his signature color — dropped from the ceiling. Tenor Christopher Macchio, a fixture at Trump rallies, took the stage immediately after the commander in chief.
Trump, who had spoken for nearly two hours during Wednesday’s earlier keynote, led thousands of attendees in a hand-raised pledge to vote in November. “I pledge to the greatest president in the history of the United States … I’m going to get my friends, my family, and we are going to vote on Nov. 3, or we are going to vote before that,” he began, according to his remarks at the event. After the crowd complied, he added: “You know what happens if you don’t vote? You go to hell.”
The president proclaimed that “in 19 months, I’ve delivered on every single promise I’ve made.” He cited nearly eliminated illegal border crossings and new tax cuts, saying, “We turned that dark age of America and turned it into the golden age of America.”
Trump warned that Democratic victory would mean confiscated wealth, abolished tax breaks on tips and overtime, and destruction of Texas oil and gas. He claimed opponents would “set loose criminals to rob, rape and kill like we had just two years ago,” adding, “We went through hell.”
His policy vows included ending cashless bail, increasing death penalty use, slashing credit card swipe fees, passing “The Great Healthcare plan,” and barring future presidents from reopening the border.
Vice President JD Vance’s address was interrupted when a man waving a Mexican flag was escorted out to chants of “USA! USA! USA!” Vance riffed off-script: “Well, my friend, if you love Mexico so much, get your ass over there.”
Vance also extended an olive branch to Republicans disillusioned by the war in Iran, invoking slain Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk on the one-year anniversary of his assassination during a Utah college campus event. “I think Charlie is a great example of how to disagree, but still participate in the work of saving this country,” Vance told the MAGA faithful. “He did not always agree with us. Let me just give you one example: Charlie hated war.”
“Of course, there are people who love what we’ve done, people who don’t. I’m not here to litigate the disagreements,” the veep continued. “But what I’m asking you to do is do what Charlie did. Do not throw the baby out with your bathwater.”
He pressed further: “Don’t give the country over to a bunch of crazy people because you happen to disagree with us on a policy issue here.”
This conciliatory tone contrasted with Trump’s earlier dismissal of Iran policy critics. The president had posed a simple question to the crowd: “Can Iran have a nuclear weapon?” After answering himself — “Absolutely not” — he declared, “Well, then I’m right then — I win.”
Trump also ribbed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, recalling advice to hold his tongue. “Please, sir, don’t say it,” Trump recalled being told. “I’m not going to say it, but I’ll tell you what I was thinking.”
He then mocked Paxton’s appearance anyway. “I don’t like the way Ken dresses, although I also said he looked really sharp in that suit yesterday. Spiffy. And then I said, ‘I don’t really like the way Ken talks,'” Trump admitted. “I don’t really like the way he looks; I don’t like it.” The jumbotron showed footage of Paxton as the crowd watched. Trump then pivoted to praise: “You know what I do like? He was the greatest attorney general in the history of Texas.”
The GOP honored Kirk’s memory during the proceedings, marking one year since the conservative activist’s killing.
Trump is expected to return to Texas to campaign for Paxton.