President Trump Rallies Tennessee Crowds Ahead of Midterm Elections, Floats ‘Trump Ocean’

President Donald Trump on Saturday touted billions of dollars in manufacturing investments and his administration’s efforts to fight crime in Tennessee, while calling Iranian leaders “crazy” and floating the idea of ​​a “Trump Ocean” at a massive rally featuring musician Kid Rock.

The president appeared in Clarksville ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections, campaigning for Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty and gubernatorial candidate Marsha Blackburn while mixing economic talking points, foreign policy and off-script humor.

Kid Rock opened the event with a religious-themed introduction, praising Trump’s leadership while taking aim at the media.

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President Donald Trump arrives Saturday to speak at a campaign rally at F&M Bank Arena in Clarksville, Tennessee. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

“Literally, President Trump could walk across the Cumberland River, and tomorrow the headline would say President Trump refuses to swim,” the musician joked.

The rocker also condemned Islamist extremism and defended religious freedom, saying Americans should not be forced to live under religious laws that override the Constitution.

“We are not and we will never be one nation under Mohammed, because we are and we always will be one nation under God,” Kid Rock told the crowd.

Trump then thanked his longtime supporter and friend under his first name, Bob, before turning to a series of domestic and international issues.

The president addressed tensions with Iran, calling the country’s leaders “crazy” while saying Tehran’s rhetoric had softened following U.S. military operations.

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Kid Rock speaks before President Donald Trump takes the stage during a campaign rally at F&M Bank Arena in Clarksville, Tennessee. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

“By the way, they don’t talk that way anymore,” Trump said after discussing previous threats from Iranian leaders.

Trump described what he called significant damage to Iran’s military capabilities, saying 159 ships had been sunk and its air defense and air defense systems had been destroyed.

“They don’t have a Navy. They don’t have an Air Force, they don’t have anti-aircraft equipment,” Trump said.

The president then moved on from the Strait of Hormuz to an unexpected geography lesson, suggesting it might one day be called the “Trump Strait.”

He also reconsidered his decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America before making additional changes to the map.

“We need a river. We need an ocean,” Trump said, suggesting the Atlantic or Pacific could become the “Trump Ocean” or “the Ocean of the Americas.”

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President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at F&M Bank Arena in Clarksville, Tennessee, on Saturday. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

“Before we go, I think we should have an ocean,” he added, without yet announcing any formal plans to change the name.

On the economic front, Trump pushed Korea Zinc’s planned investment of more than $6 billion in Tennessee, a project expected to create 740 jobs in Montgomery and Smith counties.

Tennessee officials announced the $6.6 billion project in December, describing it as the largest investment by a private company in the state’s history. Plans include a new critical minerals smelter in Clarksville and the reopening of a former mine in Gordonsville.

“And your state will soon be home to the first new mineral smelter in the United States, the first built since 1979,” Trump said.

The project aims to strengthen the domestic supply of minerals used in semiconductors, defense technologies and advanced manufacturing.

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Trump also cited General Motors’ previously announced $275 million investment in its Spring Hill manufacturing plant to support production of next-generation turbocharged Cadillac engines.

The president credited his tariff policies with encouraging domestic investment, arguing that companies were expanding U.S. manufacturing to avoid import duties.

In a fact sheet on Tennessee released at the start of the rally, the White House claimed that Republican-backed tax policies had preserved $23 billion in economic activity in the state. The administration also cited an average tax refund of $3,674 for Tennesseans in 2026.

Public safety was another focus of his speech, with Trump praising federal law enforcement operations in Memphis and saying about 12,000 dangerous criminals had been deported.

The White House separately claimed that murders and overall crime in Memphis were down about 36 percent, crediting the Memphis Safe Task Force.

President Donald Trump arrives Saturday to speak at a campaign rally at F&M Bank Arena in Clarksville, Tennessee. Trump is campaigning for Republican candidates ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

The president also shared some lighter moments about first lady Melania Trump, describing his objections to her theatrical impersonations of athletes during discussions about transgender participation in women’s sports.

“She said it wasn’t presidential,” Trump recalled, before joking about his film career. “There’s only room for one star in a family, so I don’t need this kind of movie. I don’t need it.”

Trump, who carried Tennessee during his three presidential campaigns, said the visit was also an opportunity to thank his supporters in a state where he enjoyed strong electoral support.

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“Sometimes it’s nice to go to a place where you don’t have to be, but you’re there to say thank you to the great people who elected you three times in record time,” Trump said.

Trump has repeatedly returned to the November election, urging his supporters to support Republican candidates even if his name will not appear on the ballot.

“In this election, I’m asking you to do me a favor. Pretend. Act like I’m running,” Trump said.