Trump Humiliated With Half-Empty Rally in Middle of Rust Belt

Republicans should be concerned that this a warning sign ahead of the midterm elections.

President Trump played to an embarrassingly sparse crowd in Youngstown, Ohio, Monday night.

Parts of the Covelli Center were tarped off, and other sections had rows of empty seats as Trump made his way to the stage.

Not an unfair clip. Arena never filled up; this is from during Trump’s speech. Bigger crowd than any Dem could get in Youngstown rn but he didn’t do the “they’re lined up outside trying to get in” schtick, as it visibly wasn’t packed. https://t.co/hHr5yN8un2— David Weigel (@daveweigel) October 13, 2026

Not an unfair clip. Arena never filled up; this is from during Trump’s speech. Bigger crowd than any Dem could get in Youngstown rn but he didn’t do the “they’re lined up outside trying to get in” schtick, as it visibly wasn’t packed. https://t.co/hHr5yN8un2

The Trump supporters who did show up were treated to the president’s appreciation for Senator Jon Husted’s rear end and his mockery of a protester whom they physically assaulted, with Trump calling her a “fat guy.” Trump also played his other greatest hits, attacking critics of his pro-Russia moves amid the Ukraine war and repeating his racist attacks on Springfield, Ohio’s Haitian community.

Rallies in packed venues have been a fixture of Trump’s political career, fueling his winning momentum in 2016 and 2024. Trump captured a majority of the vote in 2020 and 2024 in Youngstown, located in the Midwest’s Rust Belt, where local economies have struggled for decades after the closure of industrial plants, fueling pro-Trump sentiment.

Empty seats in a place where Trump has previously enjoyed massive support is not a good sign for Republicans ahead of the midterms, especially as he played to a similarly diminished crowd in the Buckeye State earlier this month. Incumbent Senator Jon Husted is not polling well against his Democratic challenger, former Senator Sherrod Brown, and neither is Republican gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy versus Democrat Amy Acton. Come November, Republicans may lose big in Ohio, a state Trump once helped recapture, thanks to his economic failures and the Iran war.

Trump’s New Press Secretary Holds Train-Wreck Debut Briefing

Katie Zacharia was as awkward as it gets in her first press briefing, and one White House insider predicted she won’t last if she keeps this up.

White House press secretary Katie Zacharia’s debut was so poor it made Karoline Leavitt look like Cicero.

The newly appointed press secretary spoke slowly and awkwardly during her debut press conference Tuesday, as if she had never seen or uttered the words in front of her prior to taking the podium. Her cadence was clunky, closer to that of a fourth grader reading school announcements over an intercom than a polished political communications professional. It’s clear he was never meant to be more than another blonde conservative placeholder on Fox News. The SNL spoof feels imminent.

“I want to thank President Trump. For his trust that he has placed in me. I have wanted to work for him for a very. Long. time. I’m looking forward to working with each of you as well,” she said with lots of awkward pauses in between. “Especially as we are in the middle of the midterm blitz. With energy and excitement never seen before in the history of midterms—thanks to President Trump.”

She also referred to Trump as “the most family-friendly president we’ve ever had” and casually announced that the administration had asked U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle—recently exposed for an alleged pay-to-play scandal—to resign.

Zacharia, stuttering: Now we have a booming economy pic.twitter.com/zRQcApr4lO— FactPost (@factpostnews) October 13, 2026

Zacharia, stuttering: Now we have a booming economy pic.twitter.com/zRQcApr4lO

Zacharia ended the press conference after about 15 minutes, during which she only answered three........

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