LOWER MACUNGIE TWP, Pa. — Tuesday should mark President Donald Trump's third visit to the Lehigh Valley in the past two years when he speaks to supporters inside Mack Truck's manufacturing plant off Route 100.
Here's a breakdown of what you ought to know ahead of the presidential visit.
Avoid Route 222 and Route 100
Political VIPs have been coming to the Lehigh Valley often enough in recent years that locals know to expect congestion. In the past, presidents and candidates have flown into Lehigh Valley International Airport, leading police to shut down Route 22 and surrounding highways to clear the way for the motorcade.
State Police are painting a different picture this time around. Instead, motorists should expect intermittent road closures along Route 222 and Route 100 between noon and 5 p.m. in Berks and Lehigh counties, police said. Officials at LVIA said Monday that they do not anticipate Air Force One will touch down on one of their runways.
That's likely positive news for local commuters. Trump is expected to be leaving the region close to the evening rush hour, but barring any last minute changes, the Lehigh Valley's busiest arteries — Route 22, Route 33 and Interstate 78 — shouldn't be directly affected.
Midterms and manufacturing
It's still not clear what the president will focus his remarks on when he speaks Tuesday afternoon. The White House has yet to release any details about the nature of the visit or intended talking points.
U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, was at the facility Friday to celebrate a $47 million contract to construct dozens of heavy-duty dump trucks for the military. It's possible Trump may use that as an opportunity to discuss the importance of American manufacturing more broadly. President Joe Biden did the same when he visited the Alburtis Road facility in 2021; the plant was building electric garbage trucks and other electric vehicles that fit with his efforts to bolster American manufacturing and reduce carbon emissions.
Whatever he discusses, Trump's appearance will be an official presidential appearance as opposed to a campaign event, meaning that naked political speech isn't allowed. While he can't straight up endorse candidates through official channels, Trump can talk about how keeping Republicans like Mackenzie in office would protect his MAGA agenda. The road to the House majority likely runs through the Lehigh Valley and Pennsylvania's battleground 7th Congressional District, making the outcome here a top priority for Democrats and Republicans.
Mackenzie has been a loyal ally of the president during his first term in office. He voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill, clawed funding away from foreign aid and public media outlets and didn't interfere with Trump's efforts to set tariffs or wage war with Iran.
While Mackenzie did break from Republican leadership in a last-minute bid to save Affordable Care Act tax credits, the measure went nowhere in the Senate. Days before Mackenzie voted to restore the credits, Vice President JD Vance downplayed the potential schism when he visited a Uline warehouse in Alburtis in December.
Trump and Mackenzie may have a challenging midterm before them. Historically, the party in power loses seats in these elections, and polls show Trump's support is flagging even among people who voted for him in 2024. Over the past decades, local elections have often foreshadowed public opinion ahead of national campaigns; 2025 saw Democrats in Lehigh and Northampton counties win office by historic margins.
Mackenzie may be particularly vulnerable. He defeated former U.S. Rep. Susan Wild by one percentage point in 2024 in a cycle where Trump's presence at the top of the ballot helped Republicans regain the U.S. Senate and keep control of the House. This year, popular Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro will lead the ballot, creating optimism among Democratic strategists.
Expect protests
While hundreds of the president's supporters are expected to gather inside Mack Trucks, hundreds more will be expected outside protesting his appearance.
Trump's second term has seen some of the largest widespread political protests in American history. A series of No Kings protests have seen thousands of people take the streets in the Lehigh Valley alone. The president's appearance in a critical battleground district won't go unchallenged by his opponents.
The Lehigh County Democratic Committee is mobilizing protesters to blanket the area but hasn't directed people to a particular spot. Committee Chair Lori McFarland told LehighValleyNews.com that their team is encouraging people to keep an eye out for one another and gather where space allows along the busy highway.
The campaign for Democrat Bob Brooks, Mackenzie's opponent in the upcoming November election, did not immediately return a phone call seeking details on how they'll be marking Trump's visit.
