GREENVILLE, N.C.—President Donald Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick jointly announced hundreds of millions of dollars in semiconductor manufacturing investments slated for North Carolina.

“Big plan, it’s a very big deal,” Trump told a crowd of several thousand during a rally on the tarmac at the Pitt-Greenville Airport on Tuesday.

Mining company Sibelco committed to the plan, of which details are limited, to produce quartz components needed for critical materials production, according to Lutnick.

“It’s basically the foundation of semiconductors,” he said. “They can build it right here in North Carolina.”

The president also referenced a $1.5 billion conditional loan from the Department of War announced Oct. 7 to semiconductor manufacturer Wolfspeed to expand its operations in the state.

The newly disclosed investments are aligned with Trump’s efforts to reshore manufacturing and production to the United States, a key component of his America First agenda.

He lamented the loss of technology companies to foreign soil, many to Taiwan, in past years and vowed to reestablish local supply chains, predicting domestic manufacturers could produce half of the world’s computing chips in the near future.

The president spoke for about 90 minutes on Tuesday, after circling the crowd in Air Force One upon arrival, while stumping for his preferred candidates. He encouraged supporters to turn out for the midterms as if his name were on the ballot.

“This is the golden age of America, and with a couple of votes, with a couple of votes … we can lose all the tax credits, all the tax abatements and tax cuts, all of the job regulations,” he said.

Trump carried the pivotal battleground state in the 2016, 2020, and 2024 presidential elections.

Republicans are vying to maintain their legislative trifecta, currently controlling the House of Representatives, Senate, and White House. The congressional balance of power rests on slim majorities, and Democrats are seeking to regain power in one or both chambers.

Voters will soon decide among Republican Michael Whatley, Democrat former Gov. Roy Cooper, Libertarian Shannon Bray, and Green Party candidate Michael Dublin to replace the retiring Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.). Tillis opted not to run for reelection after sparring with Trump over spending and other legislative issues.

“President Trump needs an ally who will work to lower your costs, create more jobs, protect your families, and preserve the American dream,” Whatley told the crowd.

“I will fight for tax cuts, regulatory relief, and trade policies to help our small businesses, our manufacturers, and especially our farmers.”

Recent polling data shows Cooper with a 10-point edge on the field with two weeks remaining before the election.

His campaign is focused on lowering the cost of living and making “stuff cost less.”

“For too many Americans, the middle class feels like a distant dream,” Cooper said in a statement. “Meanwhile, the biggest corporations and the richest Americans have grabbed unimaginable wealth at your expense.”

Republican Laurie Buckhout is challenging incumbent Rep. Don Davis (D-N.C.) for the state’s 1st Congressional District seat. Polls suggest the race is a toss-up.

“I want my boys and every kid in this district to have the America that we grew up with, where hard work pays off, where the border means something, and you don’t have to leave home to build a future,” Buckhout said during the rally.

Her opponent was first elected to Congress in 2022 after serving 12 years in the state Senate.

“Families across eastern North Carolina are feeling the pain of increased gas prices, higher grocery bills, and rising healthcare costs,” Davis’s campaign wrote in a statement. “Don Davis is working to make life more affordable, expand opportunity, and deliver real results for our coastal and rural communities.”

At least seven protesters were removed from the rally after interrupting the event. One unfurled a sign that was quickly removed by attendees, while others shouted indecipherable phrases from the crowd before they were escorted out by police.

The stop in North Carolina was Trump’s second to the Tar Heel State in five weeks, following a visit to Gastonia on Sept. 16. He teased another rally in the area potentially coming ahead of the election.

His upcoming schedule includes rallies this week in South Carolina, Iowa, Florida, and Georgia, continuing near-daily campaign events to boost support for the GOP.