Trump brags about loyal supporters, says ‘You’d clap even if I said stupid things’

US President Donald Trump told supporters at a rally in Tennessee on Saturday that they would applaud him even if he said “the stupidest things,” crediting the strong affection he gets from his political base.

He spoke at F&M Bank Arena in Clarksville, about 50 miles northwest of Nashville, as he campaigned for Tennessee Republicans, including Senator Bill Hagerty and gubernatorial candidate Marsha Blackburn, ahead of the November midterm elections. Musician Kid Rock introduced him, and the crowd broke into chants of his name.

Talking about the warmth of the room, Trump said: “I could say the stupidest things, and you’d clap.” He quickly added that he and his allies do not say foolish things, only things of common sense, which he said are probably mostly conservative.

The appearance lasted close to two hours. Trump presented himself as the driving force behind Republican success and urged supporters to turn out in the midterms. He was interrupted at least once by a protester, whom he brushed off with an insult. His speech at a rally in Texas two days earlier was also interrupted several times.

The remark came as some polls suggest a number of people who voted for him in 2024 want Republican candidates to keep their distance from him. Reaction online was mixed: some saw a joke and a sign of self-awareness, while others said he was mocking his own supporters.

Sources: TheGrio, Newsweek, Yahoo News and IBTimes, October 11, 2026.