Trump teases ‘big surprises’ before midterm elections

Joey Garrison

USA TODAY

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump teased that he has “big surprises” in store in the weeks before the Nov. 3 midterm election that involve his budget chief, igniting intense speculation among his critics on what the president could be planning.

Trump made the remark on Oct. 6 as he was giving a shout-out to Russell Vought, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, during a speech near Baltimore.

“We have some big surprises coming up in another few weeks, right, Russ?” Trump said. “He’s going to be one of the very important people in the history of our country, in my opinion. He’s got some great things happening.”

The White House did not say what Trump meant by his comments when asked, directing USA TODAY to the OMB, which did not respond to a request for comment.

Trump has already taken several extraordinary actions ahead of the midterms, including spending nearly $13 million in government funds to air pro-Trump television ads, issuing $500 Affordable Care Act refund checks to nearly1million Americans, and sending $90 apiece to1million seniors by diverting funds from a Medicare fund reserved for program improvements.

The New York Times reported that Trump personally directed Vought to find government money to fund the ad campaign. The money came from $20 million authorized to the Department of Homeland Security. Trump has since promised to use money from his MAGA Inc. Super PAC to pay for the ads, but doesn’t plan to reimburse the government for the almost $13 million already spent to air the commercials.

Trump has also pledged to give all adult Americans $5,000 from government revenue if Republicans retain control of the House and Senate.

Vought, one of the president’s closest aides, helped write Project 2025, the controversial policy blueprint created by the conservative Heritage Foundation that Trump tried to distance himself from during the 2024 campaign. Vought has taken a leading role in the Trump administration’s efforts to slash federal agencies.

Some Trump critics suggested that the president’s hint about “big surprises” could signal efforts to interfere with the election.

Leading up to the midterms, the president has regularly accused Democrats of cheating to win elections, without presenting evidence, and tried to sow doubts about the integrity of U.S. elections in a prime-time speech in July. Trump has issued executive orders creating new voting restrictions and directed the Department of Homeland Security to look for noncitizens on the voting rolls.

Trump also led a rare mid-decade redistricting effort in a bid to create more Republican congressional seats.

In a recent interview with Time magazine, Trump did not rule out declaring a national emergency around the midterms or invoking the Insurrection Act, which allows the president to deploy the military within the United State during times of civil disorder.