Trump Mocks Democratic Senate Candidates with False Claims at GOP Midterm Convention

Speaking at the first-ever Republican National Committee midterm convention in Dallas on September 9, 2026, President Trump spent several minutes of a nearly two-hour address attacking Democratic Senate candidates. He mocked Texas Democrat James Talarico as a 'weird-looking dude' and repeated a baseless story that Talarico ate meat at a barbecue and then vomited backstage; PolitiFact found no evidence for the claim, noting Talarico says he eats meat in his 2026 campaign. Trump also accused Michigan nominee Abdul El-Sayed of wanting to pack the Supreme Court with 23 justices and linked his relatives to Hamas praise and an organization that supported Osama bin Laden; PolitiFact found these claims overstated or misrepresented the individuals' statements and roles.

“He was recently seen having a barbecue and eating a lot of meat … he ate it and then he was seen running backstage to a room and throwing up all over the place.” Quote verified against source