President Donald Trump made a campaign stop in Durant Thursday, telling a large crowd that he made the trip to Oklahoma because of his support for the state and its Republican candidates. Trump said the weather had forced him to travel by car from Texas rather than by plane or helicopter, but he said he was determined to make the trip.
“I really came here to pay my respect to a place, really to a place that I love and I appreciate,” Trump said. He also pointed to his previous election results in Oklahoma, saying he won all 77 counties in each of his three presidential campaigns.
Trump Urges Oklahoma Voters to Turn Out
Trump used much of his opening remarks to encourage Oklahoma voters to participate in the November 3 election. He endorsed several Republican candidates, including U.S. Senate candidate Kevin Hern, gubernatorial candidate Mike Mazzei and lieutenant governor candidate T.W. Shannon.
“You got to get out and vote,” Trump said, urging voters not to assume Republican candidates will win simply because of the party’s strength in Oklahoma. He also encouraged supporters in Oklahoma to help Republican candidates in other states where he described races as being more competitive.
Economy and Manufacturing
Trump spent a significant portion of his remarks highlighting economic gains under his administration. He pointed to investment in new factories, manufacturing jobs, tariffs, and household incomes, saying his administration has attracted record levels of investment into the United States.
“We have the greatest numbers, economic numbers, $21 trillion being invested,” Trump said. He also pointed to a planned aluminum manufacturing facility in Oklahoma, saying the project could become one of the largest plants of its kind in the country and create jobs in the state.
Energy Remains a Major Focus
Trump also emphasized domestic energy production and criticized policies he said have restricted oil and gas development. He pointed to his “drill, baby, drill” approach and said Oklahoma’s energy industry remains an important part of his economic agenda.
Trump contrasted oil and gas development with wind energy, criticizing wind turbines and arguing that his administration’s policies would support more traditional energy production. He said the goal is to increase domestic energy production while strengthening the broader U.S. economy.
Trump Highlights Family Farms and Estate Tax
Agriculture was a specific focus of Trump’s remarks in Durant as he discussed the estate tax and the challenge of passing family farms from one generation to the next. Trump said farmers can have significant wealth tied up in land without having enough cash available to cover a large tax bill when the farm is inherited.
“We save millions of family farms from the unfair estate tax or death tax,” Trump said. He described situations where farmers leave their operations to their children, but the next generation may have to borrow large amounts of money to pay the estate tax. “They’d go out and borrow money, and they couldn’t pay it,” Trump said. “And they would lose the farm. They’d lose the farm that they loved.”
Trump said the policies he was highlighting would allow families to keep their farms rather than being forced to sell them to cover tax obligations. “You can now keep your family farms in the family,” he said, adding that farmers should be able to pass their land and operations on to their children.
Trump also tied the issue to his broader message to Oklahoma’s agricultural community, saying his administration wants to support farmers and ranchers and keep family operations in the hands of the next generation. He later described congressional candidate Kevin Hern as a “loyal vote for Oklahoma farmers, ranchers, and energy voters” as he urged Oklahoma voters to support the Republican candidates he endorsed.
Border Security and Immigration
Border security and immigration were another major focus of Trump’s remarks. He credited his administration with strengthening the southern border and removing criminals who entered the country illegally.
“We inherited the worst border in American history. We turned it into the strongest and most secure border,” Trump said. He also argued that the outcome of the midterm elections will determine whether his administration can continue its current immigration policies.
Taxes and the Proposed Trump Dividend
Trump also promoted the tax provisions included in the great big beautiful bill, including no federal tax on tips, overtime and Social Security for seniors. He said Republicans winning control of both chambers of Congress would allow him to pursue additional tax and economic policies.
Trump also proposed what he called a “Trump dividend,” saying that with a Republican House and Senate, he would seek to provide $5,000 checks to adult citizens. “With your support for a Republican House and a Republican Senate on November 3, I will issue a Trump dividend,” Trump said.
National Security and Foreign Policy
Trump highlighted his administration’s military and foreign-policy actions, including operations involving Iran and Venezuela. He said the United States has strengthened its military and argued that his administration has taken a more aggressive approach toward threats to U.S. national security.
He also said his administration is working to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. “I’m also ensuring that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said, describing U.S. military action against Iran as part of that effort.
Trump Closes With Call for Republican Support
Trump closed his remarks by again urging Oklahoma voters to support Republican candidates and emphasizing what he described as a choice between continuing his administration’s policies or returning to Democratic leadership.
“You have to get out and vote,” Trump said. “You can’t assume they’re going to win.” He told the crowd that the outcome of dozens of competitive races around the country could determine whether Republicans maintain control of Congress and allow his administration to continue pursuing its agenda.
“We’re going to work together. We’re going to make America powerful again. We’re going to make America wealthy again. We’re going to make America healthy again,” Trump said before closing with his familiar campaign slogan: “Most importantly, because it covers everything, we will make America great again.”
