‘Please pretend I’m running’: Trump urges voters to back Republicans in US midterm elections

US President Donald Trump has urged voters to treat the November 3 midterm elections as a referendum on his presidency, warning that Democrats could undo his administration’s policies if they regain control of Congress. Trump, who is not eligible to run in the congressional elections as a candidate, made the appeal while campaigning for Republican candidates in Arizona and preparing to travel to Montana. He said he planned to hold around 32 or 33 rallies before election day to boost Republican turnout.

“So essentially I’m saying, ‘Please pretend I’m running.’ And in a true sense, I am running because I don’t want them tearing down what we’ve built,” Trump told reporters. The President said he had already held about eight rallies and claimed Republican voter turnout fell by 49% when he was not personally on the ballot, without providing evidence for the figure. “When I don’t run, which, you know, in theory I’m not running, but I feel that I’m running. When I don’t run, we get 49 per cent less turnout,” he said.

Trump repeated the message at a rally in Bullhead City, Arizona, where he campaigned for Republican gubernatorial candidate Andy Biggs. “So I’m here to say, please pretend I’m on the ballot,” he told supporters. The President has framed the midterm elections as a crucial test of his second-term agenda, urging Republicans to retain control of both chambers of Congress. He warned that a Democratic victory could put his administration’s tax policies, border enforcement measures and other priorities at risk.

During his campaign push, Trump also promised a potential $5,000 payment to adult American citizens if Republicans retain control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. He said the proposed payments would be funded through tariff revenue and economic growth, adding that the money would have to be spent within the United States. However, he did not outline how the proposal would be authorised or implemented.

Trump’s campaign schedule includes visits to Republican strongholds as well as states where competitive congressional races could influence the balance of power in Washington. He named Ohio and Texas among the states he planned to visit, besides Montana and Michigan. Asked why he was travelling to Montana, a state he described as strongly supportive of him, Trump said he wanted to ensure Republicans won. “Montana, because we wanna make sure we win,” he said.

The November 3 elections will determine control of the House of Representatives and a portion of the Senate. While Trump is not on the ballot, the results will determine how easily his administration can pass legislation and could lead to greater congressional scrutiny if Democrats take control of either chamber. The party holding the White House has often faced setbacks in midterm elections. Losing either chamber could complicate Trump’s legislative agenda and strengthen Democratic oversight during the final two years of his current term.