With eight days to go until the November 3 midterm elections, President Donald Trump spent the weekend and Monday on the campaign trail, mixing rally attacks on Democrats with comments on trade, Iran and Israel — and drawing a diplomatic protest from Libya.
On the campaign trail
Trump spoke at rallies in Perry, Georgia, on Saturday and Port Huron, Michigan, on Sunday, and was due to speak on Monday afternoon at a Republican campaign event in Corinth, Mississippi, in support of Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, who faces Democrat Scott Colom and independent Ty Pinkins. The tour is aimed at boosting Republican candidates ahead of the midterms, when control of Congress is at stake.
At the Michigan rally, Trump also stepped up attacks on Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic Senate candidate in Michigan, as that race tightens, and singer Nicki Minaj told the crowd she would support Trump if he ran again.
Canada trade deal 'pretty soon'
In Port Huron, a border town hit hard by the tariff dispute, Trump said a trade agreement with Canada would be reached "pretty soon," adding that Canada was "willing to give us anything at this moment." Trade talks broke down in August, after which Washington imposed new tariffs affecting about $20 billion worth of goods, from hockey sticks to cement, and Canada retaliated on a similar amount of American products. Trump later imposed further levies of up to 50% on some goods, though the White House removed some on Friday after a request from Maine Senator Susan Collins, whose state has been heavily affected.
Iran: deal or renewed strikes
Trump also said it was "getting to be decision time" on Iran, telling Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures that he must decide whether to "finish it off" or make a deal, as Iranian and Houthi threats against Americans in the Middle East grow. He has suggested strikes could resume after the midterms and has sent additional forces, including a third aircraft carrier group, toward the Persian Gulf.
Libya protest and Netanyahu endorsement
Libya's foreign ministry summoned the US charge d'affaires on Sunday to protest remarks Trump made at the Georgia rally, where he called Libya "terror-infested" while criticising Senator Jon Ossoff. Libya said it rejected statements that undermine the dignity of its people. Trump responded on Truth Social on Sunday night, calling Libyans "proud, resilient, hospitable, and deserving of peace and prosperity," while adding that Libya "cannot remain a corridor for illegal migration."
Separately, Trump reposted his endorsement of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging Israelis to vote for him in Tuesday's election, the first since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack. "Bibi and I have had a great relationship in winning together," he wrote, calling Netanyahu "an outstanding Warrior Prime Minister."
Sources: Reuters, The Japan Times / Bloomberg, The New Indian Express, Haaretz, Clarion Ledger, Fox News
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