China News Network, March 3 Comprehensive report, former US President Trump held a campaign rally in Waco, Texas on the 26th local time, which was also the first large-scale campaign rally since he announced that he would run for the 25 presidential election.
The high-profile event comes as Trump faces multiple investigations and other Republicans such as DeSantis are eyeing the presidential nomination.
In the face of a possible indictment, Trump took a defiant stance, not only disparaging, but also predicting that he would be found innocent.
Former US President Trump held a large-scale campaign rally in Waco, Texas, on the 25th.
Trump's campaign rally opened with a song called "Justice for All," in which Trump put his hands on his chest and stood up straight with a serious expression. The song, sung by a choir of people jailed for their involvement in the Capitol riot, is also interspersed with Trump's recitation of "Oath of Allegiance."
The song "Justice for All". Image source: Apple music website screenshot
According to the Associated Press, this extraordinary performance kicked off Trump's first mass rally for the 2024 Republican presidential campaign. Trump then delivered a speech "full of resentment" and characterized the investigation, which included a New York grand jury investigation, as a "political attack on him and his followers" aimed at thwarting his candidacy for president in 2024.
Trump slammed "prosecutors for misconduct," denying any wrongdoing in investigations in New York, Georgia and Washington.
Trump also said at the rally that "the enemy is desperate to stop us" and that "our adversaries do everything they can to strike our spirits and break our will."
He added: "But they failed. They only make us stronger. 2024 is the last battle, and it will be a big battle. You let me return to the White House, and their rule will end and America will be a free nation again. ”
On November 2022, 11, local time, former US President Trump delivered a speech at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, officially announcing that he will participate in the 15 US presidential election.
The campaign rally was held at Waco Regional Airport, replicating Trump's 2020 campaign rally model of gathering as many supporters as possible in an empty airport area while Trump stepped down straight from the plane to give a speech.
Waco is conveniently located within 3 hours of Texas' largest cities, including Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio.
The AP also said Trump's activities at Waco airport were part of a broader effort by the former president to use potential indictments as a rallying cry to rally supporters in order to maintain his position as the Republican frontrunner in the primaries.
In fact, Trump's 2024 campaign road is far from smooth. He currently faces multiple federal and local government investigations, including an investigation by New York City prosecutors against him for paying hush money, a Georgia investigation into his interference in the 2020 election, and an investigation by Justice Department Special Counsel Smith for his improper handling of classified documents and his role in the January 1 Capitol riot.
Recently, Trump has frequently spoken out about investigations involving him, including when he expects to be charged and arrested in Manhattan, and urged supporters to come out in protest. Just a day earlier, Trump had also suggested that if he became the first former president in U.S. history to face criminal charges, there would be a "specter of violence" that could lead to "potential death and destruction."
Infographic: Florida Governor DeSantis.
On the other hand, Trump also faces stiff competition from other Republicans such as Florida Governor DeSantis. Although he has not officially announced his candidacy, multiple polls suggest that DeSantis will be Trump's strongest opponent for the Republican nomination in the presidential election.
DeSantis' recent words and actions also show that he seems to be building momentum for announcing his candidacy for president. His recent schedule includes publishing a new book, as well as frequent out-of-state trips. Recently, he directly criticized Trump's payment of hush money at a rally.
Trump has also recently stepped up his criticism of DeSantis. At the rally on the 25th, Trump also said that DeSantis contributed little to Florida, and said that DeSantis' public safety measures in the early days of the new crown epidemic were too aggressive.