President Donald Trump speaks with journalists on Air Force One en route to Stansted Airport near London, on September 16, 2025. EVAN VUCCI / AP
US President Donald Trump announced Tuesday, September 16, that his Republican Party will hold a convention ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, a rare move that the Democratic opposition is also reportedly mulling. Such major events are normally only held once every four years, before presidential elections.
"The Republicans are going to do a Midterm Convention in order to show the great things we have done since the Presidential Election of 2024," Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. He said the time and location were not yet decided, but promised it will be "quite the Event, and very exciting!"
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party was considering holding its own midterm convention, several US media outlets reported. "To showcase our tremendous candidates running up and down the ballot and harness the amazing grassroots energy we're already seeing, several options are on the table for next year, including hosting a large-scale gathering before the midterms," a party spokesperson told The Hill news website.
Control of Congress will be up for grabs in the November 3, 2026 election – with Republicans currently holding narrow majorities in both chambers. All US House of Representatives seats and a third of the Senate are up for election, with political maneuvering and fundraising already well underway.
