Trump Touted Major Economic Projects in Two Key Senate States, but Both Announcements Quickly Unraveled

President Donald Trump has made it clear that he is willing to utilize official government resources to influence the 2026 midterm elections. From promising $5,000 to every adult US citizen if Republicans win, to sending $500 checks with political letters to Obamacare recipients and running government-funded promotional ads, his campaign tactics have drawn scrutiny. Recently, he also held White House events announcing major economic projects in states hosting crucial, competitive Senate races—first in Iowa and then in Alaska—though both promises quickly proved to be overly ambitious.

The first announcement took place on Monday during an Oval Office event featuring Senate candidate Rep. Ashley Hinson and others. Trump announced a $15 billion Mesabi Metallics steel plant in Lee County in eastern Iowa, claiming it would create thousands of jobs and make Iowa the second-largest steel-producing state in the country. When a reporter questioned the certainty of the plans, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trump insisted the deal was complete. Lutnick stated, "I think this deal is done. This deal is done," while Trump claimed construction had already started.

However, reality painted a different picture. Just a day later, Republican Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds called an emergency special session of the state legislature to address tax incentives for the project—the very topic Lutnick had dismissed as settled. Local reports also revealed that the project had not yet acquired land or applied for permits, and Lee County officials lacked details. Critics quickly drew comparisons to Foxconn, a Taiwanese electronics company that never delivered on a $10 billion Wisconsin plant announced by Trump at a 2017 White House event.

A similar scenario unfolded on Wednesday regarding a struggling natural gas pipeline in Alaska. Trump announced that South Korea would invest over $50 billion into the project, appearing alongside vulnerable GOP senator Dan Sullivan. Trump and Lutnick again framed the agreement as a done deal, describing it as one of the largest energy projects in American history. However, by Thursday, South Korea disputed these claims. Minister of Trade Industry and Resources Kim Jung-kwan stated that definitive language went far beyond what was actually agreed upon, noting that South Korea was still reviewing the matter.

When questioned about the discrepancies, White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers defended the joint announcement as historic, while Trump insisted he had not jumped the gun, telling reporters that if South Korea chose not to proceed, it would be acceptable to him. With the 2026 midterms approaching, these rapid announcements and subsequent pushbacks highlight a pattern of premature declarations that leave voters questioning the certainty of these sweeping economic promises.