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President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, in Corpus Christi, Texas.<\/p>\n
Eric Vryn\/AP Photo\/Eric Vryn<\/p>\n
CORPUS CHRISTI \u2014 President Donald Trump on Tuesday touted the arrival of 1 million barrels of Venezuelan oil to be refined in Texas as he swung through the state on another round of campaign stops for Ken Paxton and other Republicans.<\/p>\n
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Speaking at the Port of Corpus Christi, the president said the shipment was a sign of an upswing for Americans as many face stiflingly high gas prices and have grown weary of the war in Iran.<\/p>\n
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The U.S. \u201cis making an absolute fortune because of the situation in the Middle East,\u201d Trump said. He reiterated his promise that the war, now eight months underway, would \u201cend very soon.\u201d And he defended his decision this year to depose Venezuela\u2019s leader, Nicholas Maduro, which opened the door for a sweeping oil agreement<\/a> with the South American country.<\/p>\n \u201cJobs are happening in Venezuela that nobody would have thought even possible,\u201d Trump said, adding, \u201cWho knows? Maybe someday soon it will become a prosperous 51st state.\u201d<\/p>\n The visit was the president’s third to Texas since September, and comes as national Republicans appear increasingly nervous about the party\u2019s chances in next week\u2019s midterm elections. Paxton, who is facing James Talarico in the state’s U.S. Senate matchup, has trailed in nearly every recent poll, and several Texas Republican congressional candidates find themselves in unusually tight contests.\u00a0<\/p>\n U.S. oil companies, including Texas-based Chevron and ExxonMobil, have reported massive profits<\/a> as the price of crude has shot up from the Iran war. Trump\u2019s personal holdings in oil and gas have also doubled, from between $12.6 million to $46 million at the end of last year to $22.5 million and $81.6 million, according to a new report by Democrats on the Congressional Joint Economic Committee<\/a>.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n During his speech, Trump said voters have a \u201ctwo-week lifespan of memory,\u201d and that he wanted to talk about the border before his reelection.<\/p>\n \u201cMy professionals say, \u2018Sir, you\u2019ve solved that problem. Nobody wants to talk about the border,’\u201d Trump said. \u201cI say, \u2018Please, I want to talk. I did such a good job.’\u201d<\/p>\n He also defended his tariffs, which have driven up the cost of some goods, saying someday they will be appreciated.<\/p>\n