President Donald Trump spoke to more than 6,000 people in the packed Four Seasons arena in Great Falls this afternoon, making his entrance a little before 4:30. "Well thank you Montana, what a place. And it's great to be here tonight with thousands of proud, hardworking American patriots, thank you," Trump said, addressing the crowd.

President Trump will be in Great Falls this afternoon to campaign against Senator Jon Tester . The two-term Democratic incumbent says he welcomes the visit.

Police and protestors are preparing for a crowded rally as President Trump visits Great Falls on Thursday. It’s the first time a sitting president has spoken in the state since George W. Bush’s visit in 2005. Cascade County Commissioner Jane Weber said she expects a high turnout, but the county feels prepared for the rally.

Democratic Senator Jon Tester was in Missoula Friday to rally his campaign staff and volunteers ahead of President Donald Trump visiting the state on Thursday . "A day of action," is what he asked them to help him with. "A day of action July fifth. If anybody is not out camping and you're in town and you can knock on a few doors and drop a few door cards I'd really appreciate it."

Montana lawmakers have a little less than two weeks to decide whether to come back to Helena for a special legislative session, potentially the second in eight months. “It’s going to be a very heavy lift to get the 76 votes,” Senate President Scott Sales said.

Montana’s Environmental Quality Council is trying to find a fair way to raise $6.5 million a year to fund the state’s aquatic invasive species program that screens boats for potential costly invaders.

Late last year Montana lawmakers carved about $170 million from state spending . That led to big cuts – for example, the state health department lost 4.5 percent of its budget, which slashed critical services for some of Montana’s most vulnerable. Would a new revenue source, such as a sales tax, help prevent future budget crises?

President Donald Trump’s campaign website today confirmed he will appear at the Four Seasons Arena in Great Falls next Thursday. He’s making good on a promise to campaign against Montana’s Democratic Senator Jon Tester, following a spat between the two in April. After Tester played a role in releasing allegations that derailed Trump’s pick of Ronny Jackson to run the Veterans Affairs Department, Trump said on Fox and Friends it would end up hurting the Tester. “I think Jon Tester has a big price

The White House says President Donald Trump will make a stop in Montana next week. Spokeswoman Lindsay Walters says Trump will travel to the state on July 5. A location has not yet been announced, but the online news site The Electric reports that local officials confirm being contacted by the White House about using the Expo Park in Great Falls on July 5, and that local law enforcement has been alerted about the possibility.

Ballots for Montana state lawmakers to vote on convening a special legislative session were dropped in the mail today, according to the Secretary of State’s Office. The proposal for a special session comes from Republican legislative leaders who want to pass referendums that could compete with citizen-initiated ballot issues seeking to re-authorize and fund Medicaid Expansion and change mining regulations.