Trump cancels midterm appearances, will campaign via ‘tele-rallies’

On Thursday, US President Donald Trump canceled scheduled weekend campaign events in Kansas and Iowa, opting instead to participate in calls to rallies held across the nation. The decision came after four weeks of extensive travel aimed at bolstering Republicans' prospects in the upcoming midterm elections. Trump informed reporters that he did not feel compelled to attend Kansas, a Midwestern state where Senator Roger Marshall, a fellow Republican, was engaged in a closely contested race against Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton.

Speaking highly of Marshall's performance, Trump expressed confidence in a favorable outcome for the Republicans on Tuesday night. Later that day, the Republican National Committee announced the cancellation of a planned rally in Iowa, a state also home to several competitive congressional races. The in-person rallies had been slated for Salina, Kansas, on Saturday, and Dubuque, Iowa, on Sunday.

Since October 1, Trump had hosted 25 rallies in 19 states, predominantly targeting rural areas in Republican-friendly states. Midterm elections on Tuesday would determine whether Republicans maintain their narrow control over the US Senate and House of Representatives. MAGA Inc, a campaign funding entity aligned with Trump, announced that it would organize a series of "tele-rallies" with the president in at least 19 states, including Kansas and Iowa, prior to Election Day.

Despite the cancellation of physical rallies, Trump is expected to continue visiting select locations before the election, such as Florida on Friday. The president acknowledged that his recent series of hour-long campaign speeches had been physically taxing, mentioning his hoarse voice during a speech in Mississippi on Monday. On Thursday, after campaigning for Senator Darline Graham in South Carolina, Trump dismissed a Reuters reporter's inquiry about his well-being following weeks of rallies, stating that he felt perfect as he boarded his motorcade back to the White House.