President Donald Trump visited a Peterbilt facility in Denton, Texas, on Thursday to launch a 32-day midterm campaign blitz, promoting domestic manufacturing and tariffs while backing state Attorney General Ken Paxton in his bid for the U.S. Senate.
President Donald Trump kicked off a high-stakes red-state campaign tour in North Texas with a visit to a Peterbilt Motors factory in Denton, where he championed domestic manufacturing and defended heavy truck tariffs implemented in late 2025. The visit marked the beginning of a 32-day push ahead of the November elections, with Republicans facing a competitive political landscape in Texas just two years after Trump carried the state by 14 points. Standing before two blue big rig trucks inside the facility, Trump asserted that his administration’s economic policies had driven industrial growth and brought manufacturing jobs back to American soil.
Trump Slams and Endorses Ken Paxton at Denton Truck Plant
The campaign stop served as a prominent platform for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is locked in a tight general election race for the U.S. Senate against James Talarico. Paxton, who secured the Republican nomination after Trump endorsed him over incumbent GOP Sen. John Cornyn in the Republican primary. Senior adviser Nick Maddux later disputed the reporting regarding the private conversation, telling the Times that their latest poll showed Paxton leading by three points.
Trump did not let the criticism go unanswered during his rally-style remarks at the truck factory, looking into the crowd and spotting Paxton after stating he did not even know if the attorney general was present.
“And I have to always remember that because he could be a pain in the ass sometimes, I’ll be honest.”
President Donald Trump
Despite his grievances, Trump doubled down on his support calling Paxton the greatest attorney general in the United States of America
during his remarks. The visit preceded a second rally stop later that day in Durant, Oklahoma, where Trump continued stumping for conservative candidates alongside Oklahoma Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Mazzei at the Choctaw Event Center.
Peterbilt Expansion and Tariffs Anchor Economic Message
At the Denton factory, the policy focus centered heavily on trade and labor statistics. Company representatives noted that parent company Paccar had expanded domestic truck production and added thousands of jobs nationwide, including more than 1,000 positions at the Denton plant.
Rep. Brandon Gill.
“Wages for manufacturing workers are up by nearly almost close to $4,000 since I took office. And after years of decline this year, the United States has added 60,000 new manufacturing jobs and heavy truck manufacturing is almost up by about, what, 31% or something?”
President Donald Trump
Trump Schedules San Antonio Rally Amid Polling Headwinds
The aggressive campaign travel comes as Republicans grapple with national and statewide polling headwinds. Outside ad spending to preserve GOP control of the Senate seat has nearly reached $175 million, largely arriving since early September.
To counter Democratic momentum and turn out voters from his 2024 coalition, Trump’s campaign has scheduled a rally for next Wednesday starting at 4:30 p.m. at the Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio, where Paxton and Republican congressional candidate Carlos De La Cruz are slated to speak. Vice President JD Vance visited Harlingen on Wednesday with congressional candidate Eric Flores to campaign in the 34th Congressional District in the Rio Grande Valley.
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