President Trump hosted endangered House Republicans at the White House Rose Garden, pledging to campaign in 35 key districts and spend up to $500 million from his political action committee. However, GOP lawmakers face a dilemma: they need Trump's financial resources and base turnout but fear his record-low approval ratings will make the midterms a referendum on his presidency. Trump's focus remains largely self-promotional — his first midterm ad touted his personal resilience without mentioning any candidates, and he is headlining a two-day convention in Dallas organized by Speaker Mike Johnson at Trump's insistence.

Many vulnerable Republicans are skipping the Dallas event to campaign locally, wary that it will nationalize the race around Trump. The president has yet to distribute significant funds despite claiming nearly $1 billion raised, with only one reported expenditure for a Texas Senate seat. As one strategist noted, after a decade of alignment, Republicans have little room to maneuver around Trump, who remains both their biggest asset and their heaviest "ball and chain.".