Republican National Committee/Republican Congressional Campaign Committee

[phkrause]

Trump’s ‘Remarkably Dishonest’ RNC Speech Exposed By CNN Fact-Checker

CNN ’s fact-checking reporter Daniel Dale on Thursday debunked and corrected just some of the false claims made by former president and GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump during his address at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

https://local.newsbreak.com/milwaukee-wi/3533483805564-trumps-remarkably-dishonest-rnc-speech-exposed-by-cnn-fact-checker?

[phkrause]

Two Trumps

Former President Trump arrives to deliver his acceptance speech at the RNC in Milwaukee last night. Photo: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images MILWAUKEE — The "new" Donald Trump soothed and silenced the nation for 28 minutes last night. Then the old Trump returned and bellowed, barked and bored America for 64 minutes more, Axios' Zachary Basu writes from the convention floor. Why it matters: Despondent Democrats were reminded why they'd long believed, before President Biden melted down in last month's debate, that Trump is a flawed candidate — and eminently beatable. ? A bandaged, somber, subdued Trump opened his nomination speech by recounting his near-death experience from last weekend's shooting in vivid detail, promising it would be the first and only time he'd do so "because it's too painful to tell." Inside the Fiserv Forum, the ebullient mood gave way to rapt silence. "I'm not supposed to be here tonight," Trump mused aloud as he described the feeling of a would-be assassin's bullet clipping his ear. "I stand before you in this arena only by the grace of Almighty God," he said, echoing a long list of GOP convention speakers who had cited divine intervention for Trump's survival. Trump went on to pay tribute to his late supporter Corey Comperatore, the retired firefighter remembered as a hero for diving on his family members to shield them from the bullets. Trump kisses the helmet of Corey Comperatore, the retired firefighter who was fatally shot during Saturday's assassination attempt. Photo: Charles Rex Arbogast/AP As delegates and attendees wiped away tears, Trump pivoted to a message of proposed unity — vowing to be a president "for all of America." It was a marked departure from dark rally speeches in which Trump has warned of an "enemy from within" and "vermin" living on U.S. soil who pose more of a threat than foreign adversaries. "We must not criminalize dissent or demonize political disagreements, which is what's been happening in our country lately at a level that nobody has ever seen before," Trump said. Zoom out: From there, Trump fell into a familiar stump speech — veering off Teleprompter as he railed against a migrant "invasion," accused Democrats of "cheating" in the 2020 election and praised foreign autocrats. Story continues below. ⏱️ Longest acceptance speech   Data: The American Presidency Project. Chart: Axios Visuals At 92 minutes, it was by far the longest televised presidential acceptance speech in U.S. history, packed with the false claims, vicious rhetoric and personal grievances that have defined Trump's political career. It was a standard Trump rally performance — but one that most politically unengaged Americans probably aren't used to seeing. ?️ The big picture: All week, speakers at the GOP convention had sought to humanize Trump, who seemed to enjoy an aura of invincibility — and inevitability — as Democrats plotted to replace their own nominee. In his prepared remarks, Trump didn't name Biden at all. In the hall, he slipped up once as he declared that "the 10 worst presidents" combined have not done as much damage as Biden. It was a revealing moment that captured two sides of Trump: the newly disciplined "unifier" whose life was altered by an assassination attempt, and the MAGA agitator who can't help but return to his abrasive instincts. The bottom line: A week of party unity and energy has Republicans riding high as they depart Milwaukee. But Trump's speech, while showing stamina, also may have given Democrats a shot in the arm as they try to move on from their own internal chaos — with or without Biden.

[phkrause]

Trump's two-act convention speech

By Zachary Basu and Mimi Montgomery

Donald Trump takes the stage at the Republican National Convention. Photo: Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The "new" Donald Trump soothed and silenced the nation for 28 minutes last night. Then the old Trump returned and bellowed, barked, and bored America for 64 minutes more. Why it matters: Despondent Democrats were reminded why they had long believed that Trump is a flawed candidate — and eminently beatable. Zoom in: A bandaged, subdued Trump opened his nomination speech by recounting his near-death experience in vivid detail, promising it would be the first and only time he'd do so "because it's too painful to tell." Inside the Fiserv Forum, the ebullient mood gave way to rapt silence. "I'm not supposed to be here tonight," Trump mused as he described the would-be assassin's bullet clipping his ear. "I stand before you in this arena only by the grace of Almighty God," he said. As attendees wiped away tears, Trump pivoted to a message of proposed unity — vowing to be a president "for all of America." It was a marked departure from dark rally speeches in which Trump has warned of an "enemy from within." Zoom out: From there, Trump fell into a familiar stump speech — veering off the teleprompter as he railed against a migrant "invasion" and praised foreign autocrats. At 92 minutes, it was the longest televised presidential acceptance speech in U.S. history. Spotted: After several days of no Melania Trump sightings, the former first lady made an appearance last night. Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner were also there. Go deeper   ?️ Young voters' poll     Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios   About 500 young voters are flying into D.C. this weekend to take part in a unique election poll — spanning three days, with group discussions and information sessions. Why it matters: It's called Deliberative Polling, and researchers are taking the pulse of 18-year-olds (and 17-year-olds about to reach legal voting age) who will participate in their first presidential election this November. How it works: Unlike normal polls that produce rapid responses, Stanford University created a model that aims to give respondents neutral and deep knowledge about a wide range of topics — and then collect their opinions. "America in One Room: The Youth Vote," co-hosted by Close Up, Stanford, and several other nonpartisan groups, has participants from across the country. Topics include health care, the economy, AI, taxes, the environment, and democracy and elections. Keep reading.

[phkrause]

Trump recalls shooting details but avoids policy details during RNC speech Donald Trump, somber and bandaged, accepted the presidential nomination on Thursday at the Republican National Convention in a speech that described in detail the assassination attempt that could have ended his life just five days earlier, before laying out a sweeping populist agenda, particularly on immigration. Read more.

Key points: It seemed at first that Trump was trying to embody a less partisan version of himself. Yet as quickly as he called for an end to the “demonization of political enemies,” he turned the issue exclusively toward Democrats, reprising his accusations that the justice system was weaponized against him.   Trump tried to humanize his image by telling of the assassination attempt. The former president spoke in vivid detail of his experience being injured and nearly killed on Saturday. On stage was the uniform of the retired fire chief, Corey Comperatore, who was killed behind Trump.   Trump made sweeping promises to end inflation and secure the border, but he didn’t outline any plans and mostly used crowd-pleasing talking points. The most specific he got was promising to roll back Biden administration efforts to combat climate change, redirect infrastructure spending and impose steep tariffs.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Former first lady Melania Trump makes a rare appearance on the Republican convention’s last night   Some GOP voters welcome Trump’s somewhat softened tone at Republican National Convention   FACT FOCUS: A look at claims made at the Republican National Convention as Trump accepts nomination

[phkrause]

From a media perspective, it was a tale of two Trump speeches — and long enough for both

From a media perspective, Donald Trump failed to stick the landing at the Republican convention that nominated him as its presidential candidate for a third time.

https://apnews.com/article/trump-convention-speech-assassin-346a6aee7cc1a056fbf1d5a46673d606?

[phkrause]

? Trump's scapegoat

If he winds up losing the election, former President Trump already has lined up a scapegoat, Axios' Sophia Cai writes.

• Trump is making clear that he'll blame Michael Whatley, the Republican National Committee chair who Trump tasked with building the party's massive "election integrity" team.

Why it matters: Under Whatley, the RNC says it's amassed 200,000 poll watchers and poll workers across the country.

At a rally in North Carolina last month, Trump singled out Whatley, a former GOP chair in the state.

• "Where are you, Michael? Stand up. We're counting on this guy. I didn't take him from any other state. I took him right from here," Trump said.
• "So Michael, you better win or you're never going to be able to come back here. He doesn't win, he won't be at RNC and he will no longer be in North Carolina. He'll be looking for a job."

? Behind the scenes: In private conversations with allies recently, Trump has said he believes the only reason he could lose the election is if Whatley drops the ball on "election integrity" issues.

• Keep reading.

[phkrause]

Lara Trump stepping down as RNC co-chair and addressing speculation about Florida Senate seat

Lara Trump will step down as co-chair of the Republican National Committee as she considers a number of potential options with her father-in-law, President-elect Donald Trump, set to return to the White House.

https://apnews.com/article/lara-trump-rnc-florida-senate-d0b9102b1095c383173bd6e24bbca015?

[phkrause]

New NRCC executive director

NRCC Chair Richard Hudson has decided to elevate Micah Yousefi, a Hill veteran who was deputy executive director last cycle, to lead the NRCC for the 2026 cycle.

Why it matters: By promoting Yousefi, Hudson is signaling continuity at the organization he'll now lead for a second cycle.

• "Micah Yousefi has been a key part of every major strategic decision at the NRCC that led to Republicans holding the House majority in 2024," Hudson said in a statement.
• "I look forward to continuing to work with Micah, Chairman Richard Hudson and the entire team as we work to keep and grow our majority in 2026," Speaker Johnson said in a statement.

Zoom in: The NRCC executive director in the 2024 cycle, Chris Winkelman, will be leading the House GOP's main outside super PAC, the Congressional Leadership Fund.

— Hans Nichols

[phkrause]

? Florida exposes GOP's deep divisions

Illustration: Lazaro Gamio/Axios

Republicans survived Tuesday's special elections for two congressional seats in Florida. But the races exposed deep frustrations in President Trump's team over the House GOP's political apparatus, Axios' Alex Isenstadt writes. Why it matters: The growing angst comes as Republicans are holding onto a narrow congressional majority in an uncertain political environment. It's also unfolding as Democrats looking to the 2026 midterms were heartened by Tuesday's results in Florida and Wisconsin. ?️ The big picture: The Trump political operation's anger focuses on the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) and the Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) super PAC — the organizations in charge of defending the party's thin House majority. Trump lieutenants say they repeatedly warned the groups to pay attention to the race for the north-central Florida House seat vacated by now-national security adviser Mike Waltz. Trump advisers say their concerns were dismissed by the NRCC and CLF, which were confident Fine would win in a district President Trump won by 30 points in November. The NRCC didn't air ads until the closing days of the race, when private polling by Trump strategist Tony Fabrizio showed Fine might lose. CLF didn't spend any money on the race. Keep reading.

[phkrause]

? Vance twin bill in Mountain West

Screenshots: Republican National Committee

Vice President Vance is headlining high-dollar fundraisers for the Republican National Committee today in Jackson Hole, Wyo., and Big Sky, Mont., an official tells Axios.. Axios is told each event is raising over $2 million, for a total haul today of over $4 million. The big picture: Besides fortifying the party to defend House and Senate majorities in next year's midterms, the swings are helping Vance build a national network ahead of an expected presidential run in 2028. Over the five months since being named RNC finance chair, Vance has made fundraising stops in Houston, Dallas, Manhattan, Atlanta, Nashville, San Diego and Nantucket.

[phkrause]

💰 RNC far outraises Dems

Illustration: Victoria Ellis/Axios

The RNC held a nearly $100 million advantage over Democrats at the close of 2025, AP reports from year-end FEC filings. The Republican National Committee raised $172 million in 2025, with $95 million cash on hand at year's end. The Democratic National Committee posted $145 million for '25, with $14 million on hand — and $17 million in debt, starting the year underwater. 🥊 Reality check: Money doesn't always buy wins. In this weekend's big upset in a special election for a Texas state Senate seat, the winning Democrat, Taylor Rehmet, was outspent 10-to-1 by his MAGA opponent in the final month. Rehmet won by 14 points. Trump won the district by 17 points in 2024. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) posted on X that a "swing of this magnitude is not something that can be dismissed. Republicans should be clear-eyed about the political environment heading into the midterms." Keep reading.

[phkrause]

😱 Trouble in Texas

National Republicans are seizing on a disastrous Texas state election to prevent a much bigger one they fear in the U.S. Senate. "Texas cannot afford to be a gamble," the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) told donors in a memo sent out today. Why it matters: Trump is giving "a serious look" at endorsing in the primary, he said over the weekend. He has sat on the sidelines while Sen. John Cornyn fights for survival against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt. Zoom in: The memo reiterates the committee's support for Cornyn as "the only Republican candidate" who can "reliably win a general election matchup" against a Democrat. It outlines NRSC polling data that shows Cornyn polling better than his primary rivals against Democratic state Rep. James Talarico and Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett. If no primary candidate gets a majority of the vote, the top two finishers will advance to a May 26 runoff. NRSC Chair Tim Scott (R-S.C.) plans to brief senators on polling numbers tomorrow, according to a person familiar with the plans. The other side: Paxton senior adviser Nick Maddux shrugged off the idea Paxton would be weak in a general election, noting he comfortably won reelection as attorney general by 10 percentage points in 2022 despite facing millions in attack ads. — Alex Isenstadt

[phkrause]

• 🎤 President Trump's comment that he doesn't "care" about the midterms has been misinterpreted, National Republican Congressional Committee Chair Richard Hudson (R-N.C.) said at an Axios AM Live event today. "He cares deeply about what people are going through," Hudson told Axios' Kate Santaliz. Go deeper.

[phkrause]

Trump announces midterm convention for Republicans in Dallas in September

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that Republicans will hold their first-ever national convention ahead of November’s midterm elections, an unusual event aimed at boosting turnout in races that will decide whether the party maintains control of Congress.

https://apnews.com/article/rnc-republican-midterm-convention-donald-trump-fb02b785fb38362f99d7991a97e969d2?

[phkrause]

GOP's socialism telethon

Jumbotron in the American Airlines Center in Dallas during a media walkthrough on Wednesday. Photo: Tony Gutierrez/AP Republicans plan to use their first-ever midterm convention in Dallas next month to mount a sweeping, made-for-prime-time case that Democrats have become captive to their activist left, Axios' Alex Isenstadt has learned. Why it matters: With President Trump's approval rating in the 30s and his war in Iran weighing on the economy, Republicans don't want the Nov. 3 midterms to be just a referendum on his presidency. They're essentially planning a "But they're worse" campaign targeting the ascendant Democratic left and socialism. Republicans will make progressive politicians and activists recurring characters throughout the Sept. 9-10 convention at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. GOP operatives spent months compiling footage of Democratic figures — including left-wing commentator Hasan Piker and Texas U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico — that they'll use throughout the convention to paint Democrats as outside the mainstream. 📱 "Our video trove is endless," a convention source told Axios. Organizers will focus on Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for Senate in Michigan, who backs Medicare for All and criticizes Israel. Republicans will spotlight Trump's tax exemption for some tipped income, efforts to cut prescription drug prices, tougher border enforcement, crime-focused urban policies and the administration's new child investment accounts. They'll also highlight Vice President Vance's "anti-fraud" task force and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s MAHA movement. Trump strategists believe MAHA can again help broaden the GOP coalition. What else to expect.

[phkrause]

Exclusive: GOP's stark AI warning

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

The Senate GOP campaign arm, in a private memo to top AI companies, warns that toxic views of U.S. data centers are killing the party's chances of holding a vital seat in Ohio, Axios' Alex Isenstadt scoops. In the memo, obtained by Axios, the National Republican Senatorial Committee says Democrats have made data centers a "centerpiece" of their campaign to defeat Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) — and that it's working. "If he loses and data centers get the blame, politicians across the country will take notice — and they will not go near the next one," the memo says. "This has become a sleeper issue for the entire election cycle." Why it matters: Republicans want AI companies to do whatever it takes to stem the public backlash. 🖼️ The big picture: AI CEOs and top Republicans share in the rising panic. They tell us internal polls show data centers are as popular as spent nuclear waste, and more broadly have become a proxy for feelings about AI. Tech giants are scrambling to pull together media campaigns to try to shift opinion before it hardens locally and nationally. But Democrats aren't dummies. They see the same polls and are moving fast. Even politicians who previously embraced data centers are racing to crack down on them this election year. There are now more than 4,000 data centers online across the U.S., with another 3,000-plus proposed or in progress. They're designed to power the AI transforming the American economy, but have drawn protests from communities nationwide because they require massive amounts of electricity and water, can drive up utility bills, involve enormous warehouse-like structures and provide few jobs. They also have become local proxies for anxiety about AI-driven job loss. Obtained by Axios 🔎 Zoom in: Husted's opponent, former Sen. Sherrod Brown (D), has spent millions of dollars on a summer ad campaign calling Husted "the face of data centers in Ohio." Republicans say the issue is especially potent in heavily blue-collar Ohio because the state has several big data center projects in the works. Nvidia and OpenAI have announced one in the last few days. Meta, Vantage and QTS also have projects there. The NRSC memo says Brown has made data centers his "de facto opponent." A Fox News poll last week showed Brown leading Husted by 8 points. The bottom line: The memo, headlined "Ohio Data Center Risk," argues that a Husted loss would cause long-lasting damage to AI companies' push to build data centers nationwide to power future generations of AI. "If voters' perceptions of data centers are not fixed quickly, the campaign against them will expand far beyond Ohio," the party warns. Read the memo ...

[phkrause]

📺 GOP convention runs into NFL openers

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Stock: Getty Images Republicans will have some stiff competition for eyeballs when they hold their first-ever midterm convention on Sept. 9-10 in Dallas: The NFL, American television's undisputed champion of ratings, will be kicking off Week 1. Some GOP operatives are privately incredulous that a convention designed to draw attention to the party's fall candidates was scheduled opposite the NFL, Axios' Alex Isenstadt writes. They fear the GOP will struggle to persuade voters — particularly men, who powered President Trump's 2024 comeback — to choose politics over football. 👀 What to watch: The convention's opening night will overlap with the New England Patriots playing the Seattle Seahawks in a Super Bowl rematch. In Dallas that night, Vice President Vance will deliver the convention's keynote speech. The convention's second night will coincide with a rivalry matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams. Trump is the keynoter that night. 📱 Convention planners tell us they're well aware of the competition from the NFL. But they argue they'd be fighting for eyeballs even without football, given how dramatically Americans' media habits have changed. So they're planning a faster-paced, social media-focused convention designed to produce moments that can break through online, whether or not voters are watching live. Social-media influencers will be distributing content on Facebook, X, TikTok and more. Organizers plan commemorations to mark the one-year anniversary of pro-Trump activist Charlie Kirk's assassination and the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks. Entertainers and sports figures, including UFC fighters, will be spotlighted.

[phkrause]

🛒 GOP's convention coupon

Illustration: Allie Carl / Axios

The GOP's most vulnerable House incumbents won't have to shell out $25,000 to attend the GOP's midterm convention in Dallas next week, but some are still reluctant to go. Why it matters: Trump and GOP leaders could still turn the two-day event into a success by raising hard dollars and motivating soft MAGA voters. 🪨 But the run-up has been rocky, with lawmakers grumbling about logistics and balking at the price tag. Only about 100 lawmakers and candidates are expected to attend, a source familiar with the planning told us. And then there are the presumed beneficiaries: the at-risk lawmakers who could win their races on the backs of a flush NRCC, which is already pumping money into their districts through new coordinated campaigns. 💰 One frontline Republican told us that if they had to pay the $25,000, "there's no way I would go." Even with the exemption, several vulnerable Republicans plan to skip the convention and campaign in their districts instead. 🚗 Driving the news: Multiple lawmakers told us that members of the NRCC's Patriot program — its designation for vulnerable incumbents — aren't being required to pay the $25,000 to attend. Other members have been asked to pay up, prompting complaints among rank-and-file Republicans who were already less than enthusiastic about attending. "It's $25,000, apparently," Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) told reporters this week when asked if he would attend. "It's pretty steep." "Not everybody is a fundraising juggernaut, and some of those folks feel it's better spent on themselves," Rep. Jake Ellzey (R-Texas) told us. 🎟️ What you get: The $25,000 package includes two convention tickets, access to a hotel room in the NRCC block and two spots at the chairman's welcome reception, according to an NRCC flyer. Members can contribute as much as $100,000 for additional perks, including breakfast with House leadership. Only new contributions count toward the convention packages, meaning money that members gave the NRCC earlier in the cycle doesn't count. 🤔 The intrigue: Several Republicans we spoke with were unaware that some members were being exempted from the $25,000 fee, and others said the rules surrounding who actually has to pay have been murky. "They've been really vague. Initially, it seemed like everyone had to pay. Even we thought that maybe we had to," Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.), a Patriot member, told us. Ciscomani said he later received guidance indicating that Patriots were exempt but that members in safer districts were still asking leadership this week whether they had to pay. "The answer was kind of like, you know, come talk to us and case-by-case basis," he said. Zoom in: The relatively late rollout of convention details has added to the confusion among lawmakers, some of whom had already made other commitments. "We didn't get all the information about the convention at once. It kept coming out little by little, and that's when the price tag also came out at some point, and we were like 'Whoa, never mind,'" Ciscomani said. "I think that they're figuring it out as they go." Between the lines: For some Republicans facing tough reelection fights, the higher cost isn't the $25,000 — it's time away from the campaign trail. — Kate Santaliz

[phkrause]

🐘 This week's "Trumpapalooza" lineup

Jumbotron in the GOP's midterm convention hall during a media walkthrough last month. Photo: Tony Gutierrez/AP President Trump and his top allies will share the stage with Republican candidates in some of the nation's most competitive races at this week's GOP midterm convention in Dallas, Axios' Alex Isenstadt reports from a preliminary speakers list. The lineup underscores the convention's central purpose: Fire up Trump voters for November's midterms, even though the president isn't on the ballot. 🎤 Trump will speak both nights, this Wednesday and Thursday at American Airlines Center. He'll deliver the keynote on Night 1 and closing remarks on Night 2, when Vice President Vance will keynote. Also appearing: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and Donald Trump Jr. House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso and National Republican Senatorial Committee Chair Tim Scott are among the congressional leaders who will appear. Senate Majority Leader John Thune is notably absent from the list. He is scheduled to be in Dallas this week for fundraising, and organizers say they are still adding names to the list. 🏛️ Zoom in: The convention will spotlight Republicans in races that will determine control of Congress. Senate candidates include Ohio Sen. Jon Husted, Texas Republican Ken Paxton, Michigan Republican Mike Rogers, North Carolina Republican Michael Whatley and Georgia Rep. Mike Collins. Trump won all five states in 2024, and all are now competitive. Republicans in some of the toughest races aren't attending, including Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and former Sen. John Sununu of New Hampshire. On the House side, vulnerable incumbents slated to speak include New York Rep. Mike Lawler and Pennsylvania Reps. Rob Bresnahan and Ryan Mackenzie. See the lineup.

[phkrause]

👢 Republicans roll into Dallas

Photo: Mark Felix/Bloomberg via Getty Images More than 100 Republican House members and candidates are expected at the American Airlines Center in Dallas for the party's first-ever midterm convention tomorrow and Thursday, running for six hours each night, 4-10 p.m. ET. (with competition from NFL season openers). Lots of lawmakers in competitive races are taking a pass or hedging about their plans. Organizers have scheduled 50+ speakers or presentations each night, with many of the slots kept brief for easy online sharing. Everyday Americans, including former Democrats, will take turns onstage talking about how they've benefited from Trump policies. President Trump will speak each night. Vice President JD Vance will keynote Thursday. 📺 C-SPAN plans gavel-to-gavel coverage, and C-SPAN2 will be on the campaign trail with Democrats. Speaker lineup.

[phkrause]

💥 Trump's summer of sabotage

Congressional Republicans are preparing to share the stage with a president who has spent the August recess complicating their efforts to run their races on their own terms.

Why it matters: Republican lawmakers fled Washington for the latter part of the summer, eager to localize their races.

• But President Trump keeps nationalizing the election.
• In the process, he's staking out positions that run counter to GOP orthodoxy on issues including beef imports and child care subsidies.

🚗 Driving the news: The Trump administration's plan to extend federal child care subsidies to families with a stay-at-home parent is the latest policy flashpoint.

• 🌵 His call to rename New Mexico is his most recent cultural one.
• The child care proposal — championed by Vice President Vance — sparked backlash from some conservative lawmakers and pundits who tagged the policy as "socialism" at a time when Republicans have made anti-socialism a central campaign message.
• And whatever the merits of calling New Mexico "New America," it's likely not what Greg Cunningham, the GOP candidate in NM-03, will focus on when he takes the stage at the convention.

Between the lines: Although Trump isn't formally taking attendance at the convention, there will be some notable absences.

• Sen. Susan Collins won't make it — and isn't making an excuse. Sen. Dan Sullivan will stay home to prepare for a Saturday debate.
• More than 100 GOP lawmakers are expected to skip the event.

🌎 Zoom out: Trump has repeatedly forced Republicans to grapple with policies that aggravate their constituencies or collide with their own ideological convictions.

• 🐄 His plan to import up to 300,000 metric tons of beef tariff-free for 90 days inflamed GOP lawmakers in red states.
• More than a dozen GOP senators publicly criticized the move, warning it would hurt American cattle ranchers.

Imposing higher tariffs on Canadian goods threatened to bring a trade war to two must-win border states: Maine and Michigan.

• ✈️ And his call yesterday to target Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier could have outsized economic implications in Kansas, a red state with an increasingly competitive Senate race.
• Trump ally Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) was forced to break with Trump over the call to boycott. Bombardier is a key employer in Kansas.

🤖 Republicans are taking an à la carte approach to data centers, which have suddenly become a political liability. Candidates in both parties have been scrambling to distance themselves from the industry.

• But Trump isn't brooking any nuance on the issue, calling communities that oppose data centers "backwards and poor." He doubled down four days later.

💪 Trump reacted to a surprisingly strong jobs report Friday by threatening to cut off trade with certain countries unless the Federal Reserve lowered interest rates.

• Congressional Republicans spent months defending the Fed's independence amid the administration's attacks on then-chair Jerome Powell — even leading to a hold-up on the confirmation of Trump's chosen new Fed chair.
• Trump seems to be wading back into the interest rates fight as inflation and affordability become the GOP's biggest election concerns.

Trump is also restarting hostilities with Iran, dashing any GOP hopes that gas prices will drop before November.

The bottom line: With less than two months to go until Election Day, Trump's coattails are increasingly looking short or nonexistent — and this week's midterm convention could either reverse or entrench that trend.

— Stef W. Kight and Hans Nichols

[phkrause]

💰 Vance's secretive donor network

Network skyboxes line the GOP midterm convention at American Airlines Center in Dallas. Photo: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP DALLAS — A secretive donor network closely aligned with Vice President Vance drew Cabinet members, lawmakers and major GOP donors to a "cowboy-chic" bar last night for a marquee pre-party ahead of the Republicans' midterm convention, Axios' Alex Isenstadt reports. Why it matters: The donor group, Rockbridge, has become an influential hub for conservative donors and operatives as Vance prepares for a likely White House run in 2028. 👀 Inside the room: Between 200 and 250 people attended the private welcome reception at The Rustic. Attendees included Dallas businessman and major GOP donor Ray Washburne, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., HUD Secretary Scott Turner, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Trump 2024 co-campaign manager Chris LaCivita, former Trump White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, investor Hal Lambert and professional bareback rider Rocker Steiner. 💰 Trump today will host an RNC fundraiser where admission to a "roundtable" is $250,000 per person, according to an invitation obtained by Axios. A photo with Trump will cost $88,600. Share this story. 👉 You heard it here first: Paige Willey, the top deputy to National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, is leaving the White House for a private-sector job at month's end, Axios' Marc Caputo has learned ... Go deeper.