US President Donald Trump has cast the coming midterm elections as an ideological struggle, urging Republican voters to retain control of Congress and warning that their political opponents had “literally” become communists.
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump has cast the coming midterm elections as an ideological struggle, urging Republican voters to retain control of Congress and warning that their political opponents had “literally” become communists.
Trump made the appeal during a virtual tele-rally for Congressman Andy Ogles ahead of the Republican primary in Tennessee’s Fifth Congressional District.
“We gotta win the midterms and keep,” Trump said before pausing. “And they really literally have turned out to be communists. Keep the communists out.”
Trump did not identify particular candidates or organisations as communists. He used the warning while promoting the tax provisions passed with Republican support and presenting them as a central part of the party’s midterm message.
The president highlighted measures covering income from tips, overtime work and Social Security. He said those policies should give Republicans a strong electoral advantage.
“Those are things that alone should give us a tremendous victory in the midterms,” he said.
Trump also praised Ogles for supporting his administration’s border, energy, military and election policies. He described the Tennessee congressman as a reliable vote who had helped enact the administration’s agenda.
“Andy has always been there when we needed him and when I needed him,” Trump said.
The president said Ogles had cast pivotal votes for stricter border enforcement and the tax legislation that Trump calls the “great Big, Beautiful Bill”. He also credited him with supporting tax-deductible interest on loans for vehicles manufactured in the United States.
Trump made election security another prominent part of his appeal. He promoted the SAVE America Act and called for proof of citizenship and voter identification.
“We have to have great elections, proof of citizenship and voter ID,” he said.
The rally also touched on gun ownership, immigration enforcement, transgender healthcare for children and participation in women’s sport. Trump said Ogles supported the Second Amendment and defended Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol officers.
Trump repeatedly urged Tennessee voters to participate in the August 6 primary. Early voting continues until August 1.
“Get out and vote for Andy Ogles,” he said. “He has my complete and total endorsement.”
Ogles entered the US House in 2023 after serving as mayor of Maury County. His Fifth Congressional District includes several counties in Middle Tennessee and portions of the Nashville area.
All 435 seats in the House of Representatives are contested every two years. Midterm elections, held halfway through a president’s four-year term, also include contests for about one-third of the 100-member Senate and numerous state offices.