Currently, all eyes in the USA are on the Democratic Party Convention. Donald Trump is trying to come up with a counter-program. There are strict security measures in place at an appearance in North Carolina.
The Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump is campaigning outdoors again. At his first major appearance of this kind since the assassination attempt on him in July, Trump was protected by a glass wall on the podium in the “swing state” of North Carolina. At the weekend, US media reported that the Secret Service, which is responsible for security, wanted to use bulletproof glass for outdoor appearances in the future.
On July 13, a gunman shot at Trump from a nearby roof at a rally in the state of Pennsylvania. The 78-year-old was wounded in the right ear by a bullet, and the perpetrator was shot dead by security forces shortly afterwards. One visitor died and two others were injured. The event in the city of Butler took place outdoors. Trump has since held numerous campaign events in front of large audiences – but all indoors.
Large police presence
The event in North Carolina was accompanied by strict security measures, with photos showing snipers on the roofs of neighboring buildings in Asheboro. According to regional media, two men were picked up by police hours after the event. Videos show them being handcuffed and some weapons being confiscated from a car. CBS 17 reported, citing police, that there was no danger to the public.
Medical emergency in the audience
Earlier, another incident occurred during Trump’s speech – a spectator seemed to be having problems because of the heat. “A doctor, please. It’s very hot here,” Trump said in the middle of his speech. The former president eventually left the stage and went to the spectator and hugged her to great applause.
A similar scene occurred at a campaign event for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris in Milwaukee on Tuesday evening (local time). Harris also interrupted her speech because of a medical incident in the audience and called for a paramedic.
Trump is currently touring the states that are particularly hotly contested in the presidential election on November 5, the so-called swing states. He is putting on a program that contrasts with the Democratic Party convention in Chicago, where his political opponent Harris is the focus.
In his speech in Asheboro, Trump also alluded to the fact that his advisers and party leaders advise him to focus more on political content and less on insulting political opponents. “Should I get personal? Should I not get personal?” he asked the audience, who spoke out against personal attacks with great applause. “My advisers are fired,” Trump joked.
Donald Trump relies on insults
In typical Trump fashion, his speech was peppered with crude insults. Not only US Vice President Harris, but also President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama got their fair share of criticism. Trump was particularly incensed by the speech Obama had given the previous evening at the Democratic Party Convention.
“He was very mean last night. I try to be nice to people, but it’s a little difficult when they get personal,” Trump complained. Obama had said, among other things, that Trump uses childish nicknames, crazy conspiracy theories and is strangely fixated on the size of crowds.
