White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia used her first official press briefing to signal that President Donald Trump’s aggressive campaign schedule will only accelerate as the midterm elections approach, telling Breitbart News that Americans should expect “more of the midterm blitz.”
Responding to a question from Breitbart News White House Correspondent Nick Gilbertson, who was seated in the New Media seat, Zacharia confirmed that the president’s travel itinerary is expanding. “Just now, we’ve added Kentucky, and we have a few other stops as he goes down to Florida. So it’ll be Georgia, Kentucky, and Florida,” she said.
The exchange came after Gilbertson noted that Trump had already been “all over the place” and asked whether the pace would intensify in the final weeks before voters head to the polls. Zacharia’s answer was unambiguous: “Absolutely.”
A ‘Midterm Blitz’ With Record Crowds
Zacharia opened her briefing by framing the current political moment as historic, pointing to what she described as unprecedented energy and excitement on the campaign trail. She cited Trump’s Monday night rally in Youngstown, Ohio, as the latest example, calling it “another blockbuster rally” where the arena was “overflowing with enthusiasm.”
The press secretary also highlighted the presence of special guests Jake Paul and former football coach Jon Gruden at the Ohio event, and she previewed a busy schedule ahead. According to Zacharia, Trump is planning rallies in Alaska, Arizona, Montana—where she said she will accompany him—and Georgia. Those stops build on recent appearances in Tennessee, New York, Texas, and Nebraska.
“Attendance is at record highs as enthusiastic, hardworking Americans are lining up and packing arenas to support President Trump and Republicans,” Zacharia said, describing the president as “energetic” and arguing that he is “fighting and delivering for American workers, every minute of every day.”
The briefing marks Zacharia’s debut in the role, and she made clear that the administration views the midterm campaign as a central focus. “I’m looking forward to working with each of you as well, especially as we are in the middle of the midterm blitz, with energy and excitement never seen before in the history of midterms, thanks to President Trump,” she told reporters.
Ohio Rally Highlights Senate Races
Trump’s Monday night speech in Ohio ran nearly 90 minutes, according to the press secretary’s account, and centered heavily on boosting incumbent Republican Sen. Jon Husted. The president used the platform to attack Husted’s Democratic challenger, Sherrod Brown, in stark terms.
“Sherrod Brown is the candidate of the Marxists, the communists, the anti-American radicals, who want to tear down America’s heritage,” Trump warned, as quoted by Zacharia’s briefing and reported by Breitbart News.
The president continued with a sharp critique of Brown’s politics, saying: “To be a Democrat like Sherrod Brown, you have to believe that Christopher Columbus should not be in Columbus, Ohio, but think that the Midwest should be turned into Mogadishu.” He added, “That’s what he wants, an interesting place. You got to check it out sometime. These people are crazy.”
The Ohio appearance is part of a broader push to defend Republican Senate seats and shape the final stretch of the midterm cycle. Trump is scheduled to travel to Alaska on Tuesday to rally for incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK), the next stop in what the White House is calling the midterm blitz.
With the election drawing nearer, the president’s schedule reflects a strategy of heavy personal engagement in key races. Zacharia’s comments suggest the White House intends to keep that pace up through Election Day, with Georgia, Kentucky, and Florida now added to the list of battlegrounds where Trump will make his case directly to voters.
The press secretary’s first briefing was notable not only for its message but for its venue: the question that elicited the travel update came from the New Media seat, a spot often occupied by outlets outside the mainstream press corps. Breitbart News, which conducted the exchange, has regularly covered the administration’s campaign activities and provided a platform for the press secretary’s early remarks.
As the midterms enter their final phase, the White House is betting that Trump’s rally schedule—and the crowds it draws—will translate into momentum for Republican candidates in close contests. Whether that bet pays off will be determined at the ballot box, but for now, the administration is promising more of the same: more rallies, more travel, and more of what Zacharia called the “midterm blitz.”
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2026/10/13/white-house-press-secretary-katie-zacharia-you-can-expect-more-of-the-midterm-blitz-from-president-trump/