President Donald Trump arrived in Greenville, North Carolina, on Tuesday, the latest stop on his Republican midterm rescue mission.
Trump is hoping that $5,000 checks can boost GOP turnout in the elections — but even some of his devoted fans are doubting those government payouts would arrive. This most recent offer could reveal how much voters still trust him as they decide control of Congress on Nov. 3.
WATCH: Protester removed from JD Vance rally in North Carolina after demanding release of Epstein files
Earlier Tuesday, Trump and Vice President JD Vance announced a $25 million program to encourage the public to blow the whistle on suspected fraud in the U.S. government as they ramp up efforts to end the abuse of federal programs and dollars. The White House said that under the Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program, or WHIP, anyone who submits a tip to fraud.gov that leads to a fraud conviction or a significant federal enforcement action is eligible to receive up to $30,000.
Relations between the U.S. and Ukraine, meanwhile, appear to be at a new low, with Moscow strengthened by Trump’s recent rejection of new Russia sanctions and Kyiv undermined by disruptions in satellite support for its drones during the war.
Here’s the latest:
Trump singles out 2 GOP House contenders in tough races
Trump brought up Laurie Buckhout and Jennifer Balkcom to the stage, who he said were expected to have “close races.”
“We have to get them in. We have to vote for them,” Trump told the crowd.
Buckhout is challenging incumbent Democratic Rep. Don Davis, who narrowly beat her in 2024. Balkcom is the Republican nominee in a western North Carolina district currently represented by Rep. Chuck Edwards, who dropped his reelection bid after an ethics investigation into improper conduct with female staff. Balkcom faces Democrat Jamie Ager, a farmer who has run on a platform partly focused on the continuing recovery from Hurricane Helene.
Trump said House Speaker Mike Johnson asked him to give the two “a special callout tonight because they’re going to have close races.”
Trump also called up the same two candidates to the stage when he campaigned in the state last month.
North Carolina Trump rally ends with return trip planned
The rally ended after the president headlined the event for just under two hours.
Trump said he planned to come back to the hotly contested state ahead of the Nov. 3 midterms.
Whatley contrasts himself with Cooper standing alongside Trump
North Carolina Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley, speaking alongside Trump, contrasted his campaign with Democratic rival Roy Cooper rather than heaping praise on Trump.
Whatley is locked in a tough race in the battleground state, where Republicans have recently pulled back money in an increasingly defensive fight ahead of the Nov. 3 midterms.
Whatley attacked Cooper, a former two-term governor, over his handling of crime.
“Who is Roy Cooper going to stand with? Who is he going to fight for?” Whatley said.
Protesters interrupt Trump’s rally in NC
A series of protesters disrupted Trump’s rally in Greenville, North Carolina. The fifth one said: “Gas is too expensive.”
Rally attendees frequently shouted “USA, USA” during the interruptions.
Trump largely focused on crime during his rally speech rather than the economy.
AP data shows more than 13 million early votes cast ahead of midterms
In statistics collected from 44 states, the more than 13.3-million figure now also includes early vote totals from Alaska, Arkansas, South Carolina and Texas.
The total is equal to almost a quarter of all early votes cast ahead of the previous midterm elections in 2022, and roughly 14% of the early votes received for the 2024 presidential election.
California, not surprisingly, led with 1.7 million ballots, with Florida next at 1.1 million. At roughly 1 million votes each, next were Georgia and Texas, both states with pivotal U.S. Senate races on Nov. 3.
Trump says he’s the reason Whatley is running for North Carolina Senate seat
Trump said at a North Carolina rally that it was his encouragement that led Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley to run in the battleground state.
“I’m the one that got him into this,” Trump said.
The rally comes after the Senate Republicans’ top campaign spending group pulled back in North Carolina.
Whatley, a former Republican National Committee chairman, faces former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper.
The Senate seat is open because Republican incumbent Thom Tillis decided not to seek reelection after clashing with Trump over his tax breaks and spending cuts legislation.
NASCAR driver Richard Petty accompanies Trump at North Carolina rally
Trump traveled to his rally Tuesday with NASCAR legend and North Carolina native Richard Petty.
Petty, a NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, is the latest sports figure to accompany the president at one of his rallies. Among those attending his rallies were Danica Patrick and Ted Nugent last night in Park City, Kansas; Floyd Mayweather Jr. in Bullhead City, Arizona; and Jake Paul and Jon Gruden in Youngstown, Ohio.
Trump arrives at North Carolina campaign rally site
The president is set to speak at the rally with Republican candidates in Greenville, North Carolina.
Air Force One did a flyover above the crowd gathered at the Pitt-Greenville Airport before it landed just before 7 p.m.
Before Trump’s arrival, several candidates addressed the crowd, including Michael Whatley, the GOP nominee for U.S. Senate. Whatley faces Democratic former Gov. Roy Cooper.
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This story was first published on Oct. 20, 2026. It was updated on Oct. 21, 2026, to correct the name of an outlet to which U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio gave an interview in India. The outlet is Network18, not News1.
