Fact Check: Did Trump threaten to withhold federal funding from Ohio if they voted blue?

VANDALIA, OHIO: Following President Donald Trump’s speech in Ohio on Saturday, a rumor began circulating on social media platforms claiming that the president threatened to withhold federal funding from the state if it voted for Democrats in the upcoming midterm. The claim has triggered concern and speculation, with users calling for a fact-check.

Claim: Donald Trump threatened to cut federal funding to Ohio

After his presence at an event in Ohio on October 5 as part of the election campaign, an allegation began appearing online, claiming that Trump threatened to withhold federal funding from Ohio if it voted for Democrats in the midterms.

A Facebook post read, “BREAKING: Trump announces he will withhold federal funding from Ohio if they vote blue in November.”

The post has spread on several other platforms, including X, Instagram, Threads, etc., garnering millions of views. The comments indicated that many believe the claim is true, while others called it fake.

Fact Check: Misleading; Trump did not explicitly make such a threat

The claim is mostly true but misleading, as Trump promised financial help if Republicans win the midterms and warned ‌that he would be less willing to work with the state if Democrats prevail. 

"Just get out and vote," Trump said at a rally for Republican candidates, including US Senator Jon Husted and Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. "If you do that, we're going to win, and we're going to win big, and we're going to shove it up their ass." 

However, the president did not explicitly threaten to withhold federal funding from Ohio, which is crucial in the midterms, given Trump’s three-time victory by comfortable margins in the state.

Donald Trump hails Ohio's economic boom

At the rally in Vandalia, Trump declared that Ohio is "booming," hailing investments like $400 million from Stellantis in Toledo, an $850 million project from Electra aerospace near Springfield, and Bayer’s $2, which he credited to both his trade and tariff policies. 

"Your state is booming," Trump told the gathered crowd. "Every state is booming." 

"We want them. There’s so much money to be made for Ohio. You can’t just turn them off. They’ll go to China," Trump said about the Husted’s Ratepayer Protection Act, legislation aimed at shielding consumers from additional electricity costs associated with data centers. 

He also offered support for local Rep. Mike Turner and other House candidates in attendance, including Derek Merrin, the Republican running against longtime Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur in Northwest Ohio.