Donald J. Trump closed out the Republican midterm convention in Dallas by leading his supporters in an extraordinary voting pledge— that they should “cheat like hell” if necessary.
During his speech, Trump instructed the crowd to raise their hands and pledge their support to him before the November 3 election. Of course, his supporters gleefully complied. He told them to bring along their families and friends and said he didn't care whether they were registered, adding that they should try to “cheat like hell” while repeating his unsubstantiated claims that Democrats cheat in elections.
The bizarre appeal came as Trump repeatedly urged Republicans to treat the midterms as a referendum on his presidency. At another point, he told supporters to “pretend” he was on the ballot and even warned them that they would “go to hell” if they failed to vote.
The episode was the latest in an increasingly Trump-centered effort to mobilize Republican voters ahead of the midterms, with the president putting himself at the center of the party's campaign rather than simply urging voters to support individual Republican candidates.
"So, please raise your right hand," Trump said. "I pledge to the greatest president in the history of the United States, that loves us so much he can't even breathe, that I will go out with my family, my friends, I'll do it anyway, I don't care if I'm registered or not, I'm going to try and cheat like hell like they do, there's never been bigger cheaters, I don't care."
Every Republican interviewed needs to be asked about it, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, who also took the pledge.
