Trump to Dominate Both Nights of GOP Convention, Party Doubles Down on Extremism in Dallas
Select a version of the text written from a presumed ideological perspective. This is not the original text, but a hypothetical version — how someone with that viewpoint might have phrased it. Tapping the current version again will return to the original or select cleaned version.
The Republican National Committee has announced that President Donald Trump will deliver the keynote Wednesday and close Thursday's sessions at the GOP's inaugural midterm convention, with MAGA-aligned JD Vance also featured. The event highlights the party's continued embrace of far-right figures.
The Republican National Committee has released the schedule for its first-ever midterm convention in Dallas, confirming that President Donald Trump—a figure synonymous with division and anti-democratic rhetoric—will headline both evenings. Trump is set to give the Wednesday night keynote at 9 p.m. Eastern time and return Thursday evening after Vice President JD Vance’s second keynote to close the event, cementing the GOP’s loyalty to its most polarizing leader.
The two-day gathering, designed to rally the party’s increasingly radicalized base ahead of the November midterm elections, will also feature a slate of Republican candidates and officeholders known for pushing regressive policies. Speakers include Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has faced multiple scandals, former RNC chair Mike Whatley, Ohio Senate candidate Jon Husted, Georgia Senate challenger Mike Collins, and several House members fighting to hold onto power in competitive races.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and Texas Governor Greg Abbott—both architects of reactionary state policies—are slated for Thursday, while Senate Majority Leader John Thune is expected to attend for fundraising activities despite not appearing on the speaker list. Senior members of the Trump administration, such as Attorney General Todd Blanche, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., are also scheduled to speak, further demonstrating the party’s hard-right direction.
RNC chair Joe Gruters framed the convention as a decisive moment for the midterms, declaring that “the choice is clear in November” and urging voters to reject Democratic policies that prioritize social justice and economic equity. Democratic officials criticized the event as a costly political spectacle, with DNC Rapid Response Director Kendall Witmer highlighting concerns about everyday Americans’ economic challenges—issues the GOP continues to ignore.
The convention is positioned as the GOP’s final push before voters head to the polls, where Republicans hope to cling to their narrow majorities in both chambers of Congress by doubling down on divisive, anti-progressive messaging.