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Former President Donald Trump addressed supporters in Texas on Saturday as he faces possible indictments.
“If we don’t win the next election in 2024, I am sure our country will be doomed,” Trump said. is willing to use it at a level never before seen in our country.”
The rally at the Waco Regional Airport was billed by his team as the first of the 2024 campaign, but since it launched its White House bid in November, it has seen smaller rallies in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. We have held events.
It was Trump’s first campaign event since he claimed last Tuesday that he would be arrested last Tuesday for paying $130,000 to adult film star Stormy Daniels on the final day of the 2016 presidential election.
On Saturday, the former president quickly fired back at multiple investigations into his actions and declaring him “the most innocent man in the history of our nation.”
The former president is defiant, attacking New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg and encouraging protests on his social media platforms. He claimed Saturday that he was under investigation “for something that is not a crime, a misdemeanor or an incident.”
In one social media post, he warned of “potential death and destruction” if charged. A grand jury is scheduled to be reconvened on Monday.
In an email to staff obtained by ABC News this week, Bragg vowed to apply the law fairly and to ensure employee safety amid escalating threats to his office over possible indictments of Trump. reiterated its commitment to
“From the beginning, witch-hunts and fake investigations, so our country is no longer talking about greatness,” Trump told a supporter who held a “witch-hunt” placard on Saturday. ‘ said.
The former president told the crowd that “every part of my private, financial, business and public life has been turned upside down and analyzed more closely than anyone in the history of our country.”
Mr Trump arrived by private plane and stepped onto a red carpet lined with American flags. He spoke for 90 minutes. The rally opened with a video of those imprisoned for singing the national anthem and acting on January 6.
“For Donald Trump and the J6 choir, please put your hands on your heart,” the announcer said as Trump took the stage.
Images of some of Trump’s most controversial moments — from Jan. 6 to the former president holding up that bible at St. John’s Church — played over music.
Trump, who took up his criticism of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis during the course of his campaign, spent several minutes painting the Florida governor as failing and desperate for help, and after endorsing DeSantis, he said, Like a rocket ship,” he claimed, soaring in the polls.
“I did big rallies for Ron and they were very successful. So we gave him the nomination. And then we led him to the election. Really popular.” Trump said, recalling his version of events during DeSantis’ first gubernatorial campaign.
But the crowd was largely silent, especially when Trump lashed out at potential 2024 challenger DeSantis.
“Look, I’m a loyalist. They say, ‘Don’t talk about it, sir, because people don’t want to hear it.'” But I do it because I’m a loyal person. ”
Trump has praised Republican-turned-Democrat Charlie Christ in an attempt to claim that Florida was successful long before Governor DeSantis.
“Florida has had great success over the years, long before this guy became governor. No, it was Charlie Christ. It was very successful.”
Trump also said he would protect Social Security and Medicare, promote one-day ballots with only paper ballots, and focus on “important race theory, federal funding for schools that promote transgender people.” He also talked about some of the things he would do if re-elected, such as signing an executive order that would “reduce…insanity toward our children, and other racial, sexual, and political content.” He was in favor of “universal school choice” and vowed not to “fund schools that mandate vaccines.”
“When this election is over, I will be President of the United States. You will be vindicated and proud. You will lose and be completely humiliated,” Trump said.
The tone of Trump’s post made Waco a notable backdrop for Saturday’s rally. The 51-day siege killed 82 Branch his Davidians (of whom at least 20 were her children) and his four federal agents.
The campaign stoppage coincides with the 30th anniversary of the deadly conflict that lasted from 28 February to 19 April 1993.
Brandon Rottinghouse, a political scientist at the University of Houston, told ABC News, “Waco is kind of the origin of a lot of the grievances against the government and the violence to respond to it.
Trump campaign spokesman Stephen Chang told The New York Times why the location was chosen: , Austin, and San Antonio,” he said. We will provide the necessary infrastructure to host a rally of this scale.” The statement made no mention of Waco’s history.
Despite Trump’s suspension coinciding with the anniversary of the deadly Siege of Waco, he did not specifically mention the standoff, referring instead to the Battle of the Alamo and Gonzales in 1835.
“The people of Texas live and breathe a fierce spirit of independence,” Trump said.
He said, “This is a state with a small band of patriots. The Battle of Gonzales knows a lot about the battle of drones. Armed with a single cannon, look out for a foreign enemy and come I declared that I would take it.”
Lone Star State has the second largest number of delegates, so it plays a key role in the Republican primary. Texas Republicans will vote for the Republican presidential candidate on March 5, 2024, along with several other states, as part of the cycle’s Super Tuesdays.
Trump and former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley are among the candidates to officially wear their hats for the party’s nomination so far, but they include former Vice President Mike Pence and DeSantis. Others are considered strong candidates.
Olivia Rubin of ABC News contributed to this report.
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