Donald Trump is up for sale at the Republican midterm convention, with the rally in Dallas, Texas, awash with tacky MAGA merch, including rubber ducks with the president’s trademark yellow quiff.
For Republicans worried about the rare GOP midterm gathering turning into an all-about-Donald Trump party, the signs that it would be a MAGA celebration of the president were there before you even walked in the door.
Arriving at the American Airlines Center, where the two-day convention is taking place, the all-out Trump-fest was coming together, with glitzy merchandise and decorations lining the streets leading up to the arena.
The goal of the convention may be to rally the base to turn out in less than two months on Election Day to help Republican candidates, but the person front and center is the 80-year-old president in an explosion of red, white, and blue. It felt less like a party political meeting and more like the rallies he’s held across the country for the past decade.
Several stalls sold fully sequined jackets with Trump’s name on them. Some were the colors of the American flag while others included the president’s favorite color: gold. Much of the attire included Trump’s campaign slogan “Make America Great Again,” while others said “Make Texas Great Again,” as if Trump and Republicans have not been back in power for nearly two years.
Another stall sold rubber ducks that looked like Trump in different-colored suits, with his signature yellow hair. There were also Trump pins, T-shirts promoting the U.S. Constitution and America’s 250th birthday, and more.
At another shop near the entrance, there was even more Trump-centric merchandise, including a series of guitars signed by the president. One with the words “Make America Great Again” on the neck was available for $10,750.
Convention-goers could also pick up their “God Bless the USA Bibles,” for $75. Each came with a picture of the president holding one.
A completely gold-painted Mercedes was parked along Victory Avenue, with a presidential seal featuring Trump’s face on its hood, his signature, and other rhinestone details. The vehicle’s finishes resembled the gold decorations the president had hung on the Oval Office walls. A full-sized cutout of a smiling Trump was propped up beside it.
The fact that the Mercedes is a German brand seemed lost on the America First admirers.
Trump 2028 hats were everywhere while “USA” baseball caps embroidered with the president’s signature were also a convention staple.
Once inside the arena, patriotic colors, American flags, and signage were everywhere, and images of the president were, too.
Some walls inside the arena were decorated with large printed images of Trump, including pictures from his 2024 campaign and his nearly two years in office so far, including one of him on stage dancing.
The credentials to get into the midterm convention also featured different images of Trump, such as him on stage at events, signing something at a desk, or, in one instance, dancing again.
While he’s not on the ballot, Trump has told his supporters to act as if he were, telling a crowd just last month at a South Carolina rally to “pretend” he is running.
If there were images or information available about the GOP candidates actually running in the midterms, the Daily Beast had yet to stumble across them, but Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton signs were spotted being handed out ahead of his remarks Wednesday night.
American flag posters had already been placed on every seat throughout the entire arena. Red, white, blue, and gold balloons hung overhead in nets, suggesting that, as at typical conventions leading up to presidential elections, there would be a balloon drop in Dallas.
In the convention program, Trump is scheduled to speak for 45 minutes on Wednesday with the keynote address, though whether he sticks to that in primetime remains to be seen. No other speaker gets more than 10 minutes. The president will also deliver closing remarks on Thursday.
While there was a large security presence and perimeter around the American Airlines Center, wandering through Dallas, there weren’t the prominent telltale signs that a massive political convention was about to take place, like welcome signs for the event at the airport, completely sold-out hotels, or even trouble grabbing a dinner reservation.
A hotel worker told the Daily Beast he knew the president was coming to town but didn’t know much about it, and noted that the city didn’t feel busier than usual.
While there were some people spotted downtown in full MAGA gear, it appeared to be business as usual for most of the blue city, with hours to go before Tramp-a-palooza began.
