“There are more people working today than at any point in our country’s history,” President Donald Trump told a packed crowd at Verst Logistics Wednesday.
He began his speech shortly before 5 p.m. after declaring, “I love Kentucky!” to a cheering audience.
The walls of the auditorium at Verst were covered in bottles and cans, a nod to the company’s warehousing and fulfillment operations. Behind the stage has an American flag made of white, red and blue cans, with a banner that reads “Lower prices, bigger paychecks.”
Trump started his rally by highlighting the corporate tax cuts passed in the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’ during the summer of 2025, which included eliminating taxes on tips and overtime pay.
After talking about the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill,’ Trump’ touted tax cuts allowing Verst to expand operations across the country.
“Perhaps most importantly to the workers here today, I’m also proud to announce that the Big Beautiful Bill offers no tax on overtime,” he said. “So you take home 20 or 30% more to those beautiful children or whoever you’re bringing it home to.”
He turned that message into a rallying cry to vote for Republicans in the upcoming midterm elections.
“They (Democratic Party) want to raise your taxes higher than they ever have before,” he said. “We have to win.”
Trump discussed the usual economic beats that affect Kentucky, including reaffirming his support for the coal industry. He mentioned several major investments planned for the state, such as Apple’s announcement of a $2.5 billion investment to produce iPhone screen cover glass at a Corning plant in Harrodsburg.
More than 30 minutes into the speech, someone in the stands behind the president appeared to faint.
“Take your time,” Trump said. “God bless our first responders.”
“We were talking about ‘Gavin New-scum,’ but maybe it’s not the best topic because it made that lady not feel so well,” the president continued.
During the speech, a second person in the crowd also needed medical attention. Celebrity physician Dr. Mehmet Oz, who was appointed by the president to serve as the Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, was also in attendance and helped care for both individuals, according to a LINK nky reporter who watched it happen.
Verst Logistics CEO Paul Verst later took the stage alongside Trump, where he thanked the president for the tax cuts passed through the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill.’ Moreover, he said eliminating tax on tips and overtime pay would positively impact Verst employees.
“President Trump, this is all possible because of your vision to make America great again,” Verst said.
Following his economic messaging, Trump criticized U.S. Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District for voting against his legislative priorities. Trump openly expressed that he “did not like” Massie, using this sentiment to endorse Ed Gallrein, who is running against the incumbent congressman in the May primary.
“And now Thomas Massie is attacking a great Navy SEAL, Ed Gallrein,” Trump said. “He’s running against him in the primary. You know why? Because he’s (Massie) not doing right by our president.”
Trump also recognized three of Kentucky’s GOP Senate primary candidates: KY-06 Rep. Andy Barr, former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, and entrepreneur Nate Morris. The candidates are in a heated primary to replace outgoing Sen. Mitch McConnell. A Trump endorsement would likely boost the recipient to the top of the pack in the primary.
Before Trump took the stage, Gallrein delivered his campaign pitch to the crowd.
“He’s joined the Democrats and ‘The Squad’ to block our president and our Republican Party,” Gallrein said.
Massie, who was first elected to Congress in 2012, has become a thorn in Trump’s side for opposing several high-profile policy initiatives of his administration.
Gallrein criticized Massie for voting against the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’ – the administration’s flagship legislation of 2025. More recently, Massie co-sponsored a failed ‘War Powers Resolution’ with Democrat Ro Khanna of California that sought to halt U.S. military actions against Iran.
Massie was also the only Republican to co-sponsor the ‘Epstein Files Transparency Act’ – legislation that required the Department of Justice to publicly release all unclassified records, communications and investigative materials related to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Trump signed the bill into law on Nov. 19.
Story was updated at 7:43 p.m.
