President Donald Trump announced a proposed $100 million investment in pharmaceutical manufacturing in Kentucky during a rally on Saturday. However, he linked the funding to the Republicans winning the November midterm elections.
“If the Republicans win, the Department of War will be investing $100 million in the pharmaceutical company Antheia to revitalize a gigantic drug manufacturing facility in Winchester, Kentucky,” Trump declared at the event held in Highland Heights.
Trump spoke at Truist Arena on the campus of Northern Kentucky University as part of a campaign push for Republican candidates ahead of the election scheduled for November 3. Key Republican figures expected at the rally included Senate candidate Andy Barr and 4th Congressional District candidate Ed Gallrein. Gallrein had previously defeated Republican Representative Thomas Massie in the GOP primary, backed by Trump.
The $100 million investment appeared to be contingent on the election results, although specifics regarding the investment’s structure and timing were not immediately provided. Newsweek reached out to Antheia for further information regarding the proposed investment.
The announcement was part of Trump’s emphasis on manufacturing and economic growth. He predicted significant economic advances with the opening of new plants.
“Those plants are going to be opening in a year, and when they open you’re going to see numbers that nobody’s ever seen before,” Trump claimed.
Antheia: A Pharmaceutical Innovator
Antheia, headquartered in California, manufactures key starting materials (KSMs) and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) used in essential medicines. Their biosynthesis technology offers a sustainable alternative to traditional supply chains dependent on agriculture, which often face challenges such as poor yields.
The company’s first commercial product is thebaine, used to make medications for severe pain, overdose reversal, and addiction treatment. Antheia announced its first commercial delivery of thebaine for 2024 and is working on other ingredients like oripavine and scopolamine.
Trump’s announcement occurred amidst a federal initiative to boost domestic production of critical pharmaceutical ingredients. In March, the HHS awarded $9 million to Antheia to expand the production of thebaine domestically. HHS highlighted the reliance on foreign supply chains as a vulnerability.
Previously, Antheia secured another government-backed project agreement worth up to $12 million through HHS’s Defense Production Act Title III program. The $100 million proposal from Trump suggests a substantial increase from these federal commitments, with the exact details of the Winchester project remaining publically undisclosed.
Trump’s Comments on Iran and Rally Protesters
During the rally, Trump addressed the ongoing conflict with Iran, suggesting its resolution would be swift.
“It’s going to end very quickly,” he stated.
He referred to U.S. action against Iran as an “excursion,” boasting about the military’s success.
The event experienced interruptions from protesters, with Trump accusing one of being a paid demonstrator.
“We shouldn’t ruin his life and press charges, right? Just let him go,” Trump remarked.
Later, he noticed another person in the arena, questioning whether they were a friend or foe.
“I think he’s a friend. Are you a friend or foe?” he asked.
These protester episodes occurred during Trump’s far-reaching speech, in which he also claimed substantial economic gains from Venezuela.
Kentucky’s Competitive Races
Trump’s visit coincides with Kentucky voters preparing to elect a successor to Republican Senator Mitch McConnell, who will not seek re-election.
Barr faces Democrat Charles Booker for the Senate seat. Booker’s campaign released a Global Strategy Group poll showing Barr with a 49 percent lead over Booker at 40 percent among likely Kentucky voters. The survey had a 4 percentage point margin of error.
In Kentucky’s open 6th Congressional District, Republican Ralph Alvarado is running against Democrat Zach Dembo. A Change Research poll indicated Dembo leading Alvarado 47 percent to 38 percent, with 8 percent undecided. The poll surveyed 524 likely voters with a margin of error of 4.4 percentage points.
The rally was held in the 4th Congressional District, where Republican Ed Gallrein competes with Democrat Melissa Strange. No recent public polling was available for this matchup.