President Donald Trump urged supporters to vote in November as though his presidency were on the ballot, warning that a Republican defeat could bring a third impeachment as he campaigned Thursday in Texas and Oklahoma.
"Pretend I'm running, please, because I am on the ballot. And if we don't win, they'll end up impeaching me," Trump told a rally in Durant, Oklahoma. "They're going to ruin our nation if they're allowed to get back into office."
The appeal put Trump's political future at the center of Republican efforts to mobilize voters before the Nov. 3 midterms. House Democrats are preparing investigations into his administration, family and conduct if they regain the chamber, but their leaders have not committed to an impeachment inquiry.
Trump identified no specific allegation that would underpin another impeachment. A Democratic takeover would give the party control of the House's investigative agenda, but an election result would not automatically initiate proceedings or remove him from office.
The House impeached Trump in December 2019 on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, and again in January 2021 for incitement of insurrection following the Capitol attack. The Senate acquitted him both times; conviction requires support from two-thirds of senators present.
His warning came during a campaign swing through two states he won comfortably in his presidential races but where Republicans now face competitive statewide contests. The trip opened a month of campaigning that includes scheduled stops in Alabama on Friday and Ohio on Saturday.
Earlier Thursday, Trump appeared at a Peterbilt Motors Co. facility in Denton, Texas, to support Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton. He emphasized the importance of electing Paxton despite previously criticizing the candidate's clothing and speaking style.
"We need Ken so badly, and that's why I'm here," Trump said.
Paxton, the Texas attorney general, defeated Sen. John Cornyn in a contentious primary with Trump's backing. He now trails Democratic state Rep. James Talarico in polls, while prominent Republicans including former Texas House Speaker Joe Straus and strategist Karl Rove have questioned his prospects.
The race illustrates the difficulty facing Republicans even in territory Trump carried by wide margins. He won Texas by nearly 14 percentage points in 2024, but recent polling shows more Texans disapproving than approving of his performance, with living costs and the Iran war weighing on voters.
Trump defended his economic record Thursday, insisting he had "handled inflation" and blaming former President Joe Biden for rising prices. He also acknowledged that his deportation campaign had affected the labor market.
"We need people, but they have to be people that can love our country and treat our country with respect," he said.
In Durant, thousands attended despite persistent rain, with supporters traveling from Oklahoma and Texas. Trump promoted gubernatorial contender Mike Mazzei and a proposed $4 billion aluminum smelter in Inola, Oklahoma.
He also repeated his proposal to give U.S. adults $5,000 payments if Republicans retain control of Congress. The plan has been estimated to cost more than $1 trillion.
