Things got a little weird in Youngstown, Ohio, on Monday. During a rally, President Trump went on a bit of a tangent about Ohio Republican Sen. Jon Husted, who he recently found out was a star football player in college.

Trump told the crowd he was shocked to learn about Husted’s history as an All-American defensive back for the 1989 Division III champion Dayton Flyers. Apparently, he didn't believe it at first, so he decided to, uh, investigate for himself.

“I don’t do this with men very often. I started examining his body because I didn’t know he was a great athlete,” Trump told the crowd. He said he checked the senator out “up and down” and even inspected his hands, which he described as “like claws.” When Husted eventually joined him on stage, Trump joked, “I just hit him in the back and I hurt my hand a little bit. He’s like a piece of steel.”

The political stakes

Beyond the awkward comments, the event was all about the upcoming election. Husted is in a high-stakes race against Sherrod Brown, whom Trump painted as the leader of “Marxist” and “anti-American” forces. Trump didn't hold back, warning that Ohio would be “destroyed like Minnesota” if Democrats take charge. He made it clear that voters need to back Husted and GOP gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to stop the state from being “plundered.”

The rally guest list

It was a star-studded day for the MAGA squad. Super Bowl-winning NFL coach Jon Gruden—who actually played college ball with Husted—joined Trump on Air Force One, along with YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul. Gruden told the crowd they need to “believe in our leadership,” while Paul claimed Democratic candidates are “evil” and “willing to do anything to destroy us.”

Other notable figures in attendance included Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, Sen. Bernie Moreno, and Rep. Max Miller. While Trump gave Miller a shout-out, he kept him off the stage, likely because Miller is currently caught up in some messy accusations involving his ex-wife and her father, Sen. Moreno.

Why it matters

This rally is a major play for the heart of the Midwest. With the race between Husted and Brown heating up, Trump is leaning heavily into his brand of high-energy endorsements and personal, off-the-cuff commentary to rally the base and keep his favored candidates in the spotlight.