President Trump warned during a political rally Monday that he would “be the last Republican president” if Democrats seize control of Congress and the White House in the next two elections.
“I will be the last Republican president because they will add about 12 more electoral votes,” Trump told the crowd.
“They’ll add four more senators. They’ll add 10 more congresspeople, approximately,” he continued. “They’re going to rig the Supreme Court through just a lot of people.”
The president went on to claim that Democrats want to boost the total number of justices on the high court to 23, which would be 10 more than the number that has been floated by party leaders.
“The real number that they dream of is 23,” Trump said. “They say 13. Who wants 13?”
Democrats have pushed for an “overhaul” of the Supreme Court, fueled by frustration over Trump’s ability to appoint three conservative justices to the bench. Figures such as former Vice President Kamala Harris have backed the idea of expanding the court to 13 justices, along with reforming the Electoral College.
Trump made the remarks in Youngstown, Ohio, where he was campaigning for incumbent Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, and Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. Both candidates are locked in tight races in the Buckeye State, despite the president having carried Ohio in each of the last three presidential elections.
While some Republican candidates this election cycle have tried to put some distance between themselves and Trump amid his sinking job approval numbers, both Husted and Ramaswamy have leaned on the president to energize the GOP base.
Husted credited Trump with transforming the political landscape of the Youngstown area during his own remarks at the rally.
“The Youngstown area for decades used to vote Democrat, and then you ran for office in 2016 and flipped it red forever,” Husted said. “Is that right, folks?”
The president also used the event to endorse several other Republican candidates who were in attendance, including Rep. Max Miller.
The Ohio congressman has been accused of abusing his ex-wife and their young daughter, allegations he has denied.
“Thank you, Max, for coming,” Trump said. “Thank you. Very good.”
The rally underscored the high stakes Trump sees in the upcoming elections. In his remarks, the president painted a picture in which Democratic control of both Congress and the White House would lead to sweeping changes, from additional electoral votes and new senators to an expanded Supreme Court.
His comments on the high court came as Democrats have openly discussed proposals to change it. While party leaders have floated expanding the bench to 13 justices, Trump argued that the true goal is far larger, mocking the idea of even a 13-member court.
For Husted and Ramaswamy, the president’s appearance offered a chance to rally Republican voters in a state that has favored Trump at the top of the ticket, even as both candidates face competitive contests this fall.
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