President Donald Trump is scheduled to deliver his final midterm campaign message Monday at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C. The appearance will cap a weeks-long push through more than 20 states as Republicans try to keep control of Congress in Tuesday’s elections.
Trump is due to speak at 2 p.m. ET and take part in nine tele-rallies during the day. On Sunday, he made in-person stops in Iowa and Kansas.
Since August, Trump has made 30 in-person political appearances, including more than 27 rallies in October. Alex Bruesewitz, a senior adviser on Trump’s 2024 campaign who has traveled with him on roughly 10 to 15 recent trips, described the complicated work behind organizing events for a sitting president.
Moving a president from one campaign event to another, Bruesewitz said, involves a very different scale of logistics than a conventional campaign. White House staff, Republican operatives, campaign aides and advance teams all have to coordinate. The White House political affairs and public liaison offices, along with the Republican National Committee, are also involved.
White House spokesperson Olivia Wales said Trump would keep traveling across the country to make the case that Republican control of Congress would mean safer streets, lower taxes, secure borders and greater energy independence.
The pace has led to some weary moments aboard Air Force One. Bruesewitz recalled an especially tiring trip to the West Coast that left him asleep on the plane at 4 a.m. A photo of him ended up in a group chat for congressional spouses, he said, prompting messages from lawmakers’ wives who were surprised by how exhausted he looked.
Despite the long days, Bruesewitz said the campaign has reminded him of Trump’s 2024 run, with staff moving quickly between events and the president keeping up a packed schedule. Trump works on official business and prepares remarks during flights to campaign stops, he said. The return trips tend to feel different: staff unwind with music and football. Bruesewitz, a Green Bay Packers fan, recently watched one of the team’s games aboard the plane.
The rallies have also drawn well-known guests, including boxing champions Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield, as well as rapper Nicki Minaj. Bruesewitz remembered helping Tyson to his seat at a New York event, where attendees quickly recognized the former boxer.
One of Bruesewitz’s favorite stops was in Port Huron, Michigan, where Minaj appeared with Trump. The arena was full despite the event competing with a Detroit Lions game. For many people in the crowd, Bruesewitz said, it was their first chance to see Trump in person. They were excited about Minaj’s appearance, too, but especially eager to see the president.
Trump’s schedule shifted late in the campaign. In-person stops in Kansas and Iowa were added back for Sunday after initially being dropped in favor of tele-rallies intended to reach voters in nearly 20 states.
After weeks on the road, Trump’s campaign is set to wrap up Monday with the Lincoln Memorial appearance and a series of tele-rallies, as Republicans make one last appeal to voters before Election Day.
