Donald Trump held his inaugural outdoor campaign event on Wednesday following an assassination attempt. He criticized his Democratic opponent Kamala Harris vigorously from behind bulletproof glass at a rally in North Carolina, a key battleground state.
Speaking amidst vintage warplanes at an aviation museum, the 78-year-old Trump branded Harris as the “most radical left person” to have ever run for the White House. He warned that if Harris were to win in November, millions of jobs would disappear suddenly.
Trump warned the crowd about dramatic consequences, saying, “Your life savings will be completely wiped out.” He additionally predicted apocalyptic scenarios, proclaiming, “If comrade Kamala wins this November, World War III is virtually guaranteed.”
Ever since Harris has been drawing enthusiastic crowds after taking over Joe Biden at the helm of the Democratic ticket, the event in Asheboro served as an opportunity for Trump to reclaim his historic dominance in organizing grand rallies.
This was his first major outdoor event following a minor injury sustained during an assassination attempt at a similar open venue in Butler, Pennsylvania, a month earlier.
Subsequently, the Secret Service recommended that Trump opt for more controlled indoor venues such as sports arenas. Since then, he has held approximately a dozen indoor events.
A bulletproof screen was noticeable around the podium where Trump and his vice presidential nominee, J.D. Vance, spoke to the Asheboro crowd.
During his speech, Trump momentarily left the stage to attend to a attendee experiencing a medical problem within the crowd.
Trump’s political brand heavily relies on attracting crowds, with the billionaire projecting himself as an outsider and a man of the people.
Even during his presidency, he maintained a consistent schedule of rally-style events, typically filling sports arenas with no less than 10,000 attendees.
Trump’s strategy faced a setback on July 21 when Biden suddenly withdrew his re-election campaign and endorsed his 59-year-old vice president as the future of the Democratic Party.
The immediate surge of Democratic support for Harris seemed to catch the Trump campaign off guard.
Harris has been consistently drawing massive crowds, with well over 10,000 attendees at her events. Recently, supporters packed the Democratic National Convention in Chicago while she also hosted a large rally in Milwaukee.
In a clear jab at Trump, her Milwaukee event was held at the same arena where the Republicans had previously conducted their convention in July.
North Carolina is among the crucial swing states anticipated to decide the outcome of the November 5 election.
In the U.S. presidential elections, the victor is determined through state-by-state decisions rather than a national popular vote, with each state carrying varying Electoral College votes. The winning candidate must secure a majority of the Electoral College.
Most states lean heavily towards either Republican or Democrat, with only about seven identified as true battlegrounds where the real competition unfolds — and where candidates invest most of their time and resources.
AFP