How did Donald Trump close his 2026 midterm campaign rallies, according to the BBC?

BBC correspondent Ione Wells, reporting from Kansas, said Donald Trump closed the 2026 midterm campaign with personal attacks and a message of fear rather than a Republican policy offer. At rallies in Florida, Iowa and Kansas he targeted Texas Senate candidate James Talarico and Michigan's Abdul El-Sayed, making unfounded claims about El-Sayed. A promise of $5,000 for every American adult came only at the end of his speeches, as he faced a backlash over prices.

• Bernie Sanders called the rhetoric about El-Sayed overt racism.
• Wells said the rallies aimed to change the subject from the cost of living and to drive Republican turnout.

Source: our own transcription of the episode. The full conversation is on Global News Podcast (2026-11-02). Read the whole episode summary →

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