Trump Warns Kansas Voters US Could ‘Burn’ Like France if Democrats Win

US President Donald Trump warned that the United States could experience unrest similar to recent violence in France if Democrats gain political power, using the issue to campaign for Republican Senator Roger Marshall ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.

Speaking at a rally in Park City, near Wichita, Trump urged voters to support Marshall, who is facing a competitive challenge from Democratic candidate Adam Hamilton, a Methodist megachurch pastor.

“I love you Kansas, but I'm here for a guy named Roger Marshall,” Trump told the crowd.

Trump cited recent protests and riots in France, where demonstrations over the cost of living and underfunded public services escalated into looting and violence. He offered no evidence to support his claim that a Democratic victory would lead to similar unrest in the United States.

“We're not going to let that happen to this country,” Trump said. “When you see burning steeples and raging fires in France, just remember that is what the radical Dumocrats want to do to America.”

Trump has used the term “Dumocrats” to mock Democrats. His remarks also included anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim rhetoric, drawing on themes that have featured prominently in his political campaigns. Civil rights advocates have criticised such language, arguing that it can encourage hostility towards immigrants and minority communities.
A Competitive Race in Traditionally Republican Kansas

Kansas has long been a Republican stronghold. Trump won the state by 16 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election, and no Democrat has won a US Senate election there in 94 years.

However, Marshall is facing a strong challenge from Hamilton, who has criticised Trump's tariff policies and what he describes as the president's erratic leadership.

Trump accused Hamilton of wanting white Americans to feel guilty about their race, saying, “He wants you to repent for being born White.”

Marshall focused on cultural issues during his remarks, including opposition to what he described as “radical Islam”. He also called Hamilton “too woke” for Kansas because of his support for LGBTQ+ Pride parades.

“We need someone who can sort heifers and steers,” Marshall said, appealing to the state's agricultural identity.

Hamilton, meanwhile, has sought to attract voters who supported Trump in previous elections. In a video released on Monday, he welcomed the president to Kansas and said his supporters would have a place in his campaign.

Hamilton said he would cooperate with Trump when their priorities aligned but would oppose federal policies that harmed Kansas farmers and rural hospitals.
Economic Concerns Weigh on Republican Support

The Kansas contest reflects wider challenges facing Republicans as they attempt to retain control of Congress in the November midterm elections.

Trump has embarked on an intensive campaign tour, visiting areas that strongly supported him in 2024. A Republican familiar with his strategy said internal polling indicated weaker support among rural men aged 55 and younger, a group that played an important role in Trump's previous election victory.

Economic concerns were prominent at the Kansas rally, particularly rising fuel prices, food costs and healthcare expenses.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll published on Monday found that 31% of Americans approved of Trump's performance in office, the lowest level recorded for his presidency at the time.

At a truck stop near the rally venue, displayed prices were $3.98 per gallon for gasoline and $5.78 for diesel. According to the article, gasoline prices were approximately 45% higher than the state's average a year earlier.

“Being on disability, I don't have much, but it seems like the prices are still going up and they need to come down,” said Monique Mullen, a 59-year-old Republican voter from Hutchinson, Kansas, who cares for her father.

“It feels like you're having to search or hunt for food,” she added.

Farmers also expressed frustration with the administration's trade policies. James Nightingale, an independent voter from Halstead, said tariffs had damaged grain markets in his area and criticised the importation of foreign beef.

“What happened to ‘America First’?” he asked.
Midterm Elections Could Reshape Washington

Republicans currently hold narrow majorities in both chambers of Congress, with 218–214 in the House of Representatives and 53–47 in the Senate, according to the figures cited in the original report. Democrats need a net gain of four seats in each chamber to take control.

The election could determine the legislative direction of Trump's remaining two years in office, including debates over trade, healthcare and economic policy.

Despite Kansas's Republican voting history, the state has shown that it can elect Democrats. Governor Laura Kelly, a Democrat, has won two terms, demonstrating that party loyalty is not always decisive.

“I don't think it's ever easy to get elected here,” said Gina Seman, a Trump supporter from Towanda, Kansas. She added that Republican candidates sometimes take their popularity in the state for granted.