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President Donald Trump said he was “worried” about Republican Senate nominee Michael Whatley’s prospects in North Carolina, even as he praised Whatley and said he hoped he would win. The remarks came Friday, October 2, 2026, as Trump left the White House for a campaign rally in Alabama. The Hill also reported that a Republican leadership super PAC canceled $6.5 million in North Carolina ad reservations that day.
What Trump said about Michael Whatley
Speaking to reporters on the South Lawn on Friday, October 2, Trump said: “I think he’s a great man, and I am worried about him.” He added: “I hope he wins. He was a great leader for the whole Republican Party when I won, and he’d be a great senator.” The Hill reported the remarks as Trump departed for a campaign rally in Alabama; the Associated Press separately quoted him saying, “I am worried about him” and “I hope he wins.”
Both accounts present concern and praise together: Trump expressed worry about Whatley while voicing support for his candidacy. These are quotations reported by news outlets, not a primary transcript or recording.
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The Hill reported that the Senate Leadership Fund, described as the Senate GOP leadership super PAC, canceled $6.5 million in North Carolina ad reservations on Friday, the same day Trump made his remarks. An Associated Press report syndicated by KPRC also described Senate Republicans as beginning to pull back money reserved for Whatley, but did not give the same dollar figure.
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The reports do not establish why the reservations were canceled, whether the money was shifted elsewhere or permanently removed, or what effect the reported action had on the race. A cancellation of reserved advertising is a campaign-spending development; by itself, it does not determine a result.
Who Whatley is running against, and the race context
The Hill identifies Whatley as the Republican nominee and a former head of the Republican National Committee. His Democratic opponent is Roy Cooper, a former North Carolina governor. The report also says Trump and Vice President JD Vance had each traveled to North Carolina the previous month to campaign with Whatley.
Poll cited in the report
The Hill cited a Catawba College and YouGov poll released that week showing Cooper leading Whatley by 10 points. The available account does not provide the poll’s field dates, sample details, or margin of error, so the figure should be read as an attributed snapshot rather than a prediction or definitive measure of the race.
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The Hill also said the nonpartisan Cook Political Report rated the race “lean Democrat.” That is an outside race assessment, not an election result. A poll, a race rating, a committee’s advertising reservations, and a candidate’s endorsement are different kinds of information and should not be treated as interchangeable evidence.
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What the reports establish—and what they do not
- Trump publicly said he was worried about Whatley while praising him and expressing hope that he would win.
- The remarks were made on October 2, 2026, as Trump left the White House for an Alabama rally.
- The Hill reported a $6.5 million cancellation of North Carolina ad reservations by the Senate Leadership Fund; AP’s syndicated account described a same-day pullback in general terms.
- The reports do not explain the reason for the cancellation or establish its effect on the election.
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