Trump’s Vanity Rally: The Desperate Play to Remain Centerstage

A Financial Times opinion piece argues that Trump’s Trump-a-palooza at the GOP’s midterm convention was a calculated bid to reassert himself as the indispensable force in the party, peppering the crowd with pledges to vote and even promising a $5,000 “dividend” if Republicans win, while critics highlight perceived desperation and questions about his fitness. The article suggests the event was more about vanity and narrative control than policy leverage, aiming to keep Trump at the center of the Republican story whether or not the GOP holds power.