Trump Kentucky Rally: Power Claim and $100M KY Promise
The Trump Kentucky rally brought thousands of supporters to Truist Arena on Northern Kentucky University’s campus in Highland Heights on Saturday, October 17, as President Donald Trump campaigned for Republican candidates just over two weeks before the November 3 general election.
The event, which wrapped up around 3:50 p.m. ET, was the president’s second stop in the Cincinnati area this month and part of a multi-state campaign blitz aimed at boosting Republican turnout ahead of the midterms.
“I Can Do Stuff That Is Unbelievable”
Speaking to a packed arena, Trump touted the power of his second term in the White House, telling the crowd, “I can do stuff that is unbelievable.” The line came as he riffed on his decision to rebrand the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America in official federal usage.
Trump also revisited a signature pledge: if Republicans keep the House and Senate, every adult American would receive a $5,000 dividend. He has not said how the payout, which analysts estimate could cost more than $1 trillion, would be funded or paid for.
On the economy, Trump told supporters the war with Iran would end soon and that gas prices would drop to new lows, drawing loud cheers from the crowd.
A Conditional $100M Promise for Kentucky
Trump added a new Kentucky-specific promise to the rally: if Republicans win the midterms, the Department of Defense — which he now calls the Department of War — would invest $100 million in the pharmaceutical company Antheia to revitalize what he called a “gigantic” drug manufacturing facility in Winchester, Kentucky.
“If the Republicans win, the Department of War will be investing $100 million in the pharmaceutical company Antheia,” Trump said. He added that if Democrats win, “they wouldn’t be able to do it, they wouldn’t even know what you’re talking about, they have no idea.”
Representatives for the Defense Department and for U.S. Rep. Andy Barr — the Republican Senate nominee, who represents the district that includes Winchester — did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Trump also cited other industrial investments in the state, including a $1 billion commitment from GE Appliances and IUE-CWA that he said would make Louisville’s Appliance Park the largest home appliance manufacturing site in the United States.
Barr and Gallrein Take the Stage
Reps. Andy Barr and Ed Gallrein, the Republican nominees for U.S. Senate and for Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District respectively, joined Trump on stage during the speech.
Barr faces Democrat Charles Booker in the race to replace retiring Sen. Mitch McConnell. Gallrein, who defeated incumbent Rep. Thomas Massie in the May primary, is running for the House seat in the general election.
Protester Removed, Beshear Responds
As Trump began his remarks, a protester was removed from Truist Arena. “Take him back home to mom. Back to mom,” Trump said as the crowd booed. He then claimed, without evidence, that protesters at his rallies are paid $250.
Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, a potential 2028 presidential contender, said Trump’s decision to campaign in a state he has won decisively was a troubling sign for Republicans, suggesting the party is worried about an enthusiasm gap heading into the midterms.
The rally sits just across the Ohio River from battleground Ohio, where former Sen. Sherrod Brown is challenging Sen. Jon Husted in a Senate race the Cook Political Report rates a pure tossup. Trump has visited Ohio four times during his current term, including twice this month.
Source: Associated Press / Cincinnati Enquirer / Courier Journal