Former US President Donald Trump gave a speech on Sunday in Lititz, Pennsylvania, where he talked about violence against journalists and reporters being shot. In his remarks, Trump further cast doubt on the integrity of the election and revisited old grievances from his 2020 defeat, as reported by the Associated Press.
In his address, Trump also questioned the immigration policy of the Biden administration and said the country’s borders were safe till he was at the White House. “We had the safest border in the history of our country the day that I left. I shouldn’t have left. I mean, honestly, because ..we did so well,” Trump said.
“I have this piece of glass here,” Trump said, pointing to the ballistic glass used to protect him at outdoor events after a gunman’s assassination attempt in July. He indicated the openings between the panels. “But all we have really over here is the fake news. To get to me, somebody would have to shoot through the fake news. And I don’t mind that so much.”
“The President’s statement about protective glass placement has nothing to do with the media being harmed or anything else,” said Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung in a statement. He claimed that Trump was indicating that reporters were in “great danger themselves and should have had a glass protective shield, also. There can be no other interpretation of what was said. He was actually looking out for their welfare, far more than his own!”
Trump spoke about guns being aimed at those he considers enemies. He suggested that former Rep. Liz Cheney, a prominent Republican critic, wouldn’t support foreign wars if she had “nine barrels pointed at her.” He also claimed that he can only lose to Kamala Harris if there is cheating, despite polls showing a very close race.
“It’s a crooked country,” Trump said to his audience, revisiting the grievance that has defined the early stages of his campaign. “They’ll want to put you in jail because you want to make it straight. Think of it, think of it. They cheat in elections and you call them on it and they want to put you in jail.”
Before taking the stage, Trump spoke with two reporters who mentioned polling, including one who asked if he thought there was any chance he could lose.
Trump views Harris as an unworthy opponent and is frustrated that he’s not dominating, according to one Republican. He’s been increasingly unsettled that the campaign remains in a tight race.
Another Republican attributed Trump’s tension to last-minute anxiety and his need to rely on a system he believes is rigged against him. Kamala Harris on Sunday told reporters that Trump’s comments are “meant to distract from the fact that we have and support free and fair elections in our country.” Those “good systems” were in place in 2020, Harris said, and “he lost.”
The vice president expressed confidence in the upcoming vote tally and encouraged voters, especially those who haven’t yet cast their ballots, saying, “to not fall for this tactic, which I think includes suggesting to people that if they vote, their vote won’t matter.”
A few hours later, in an appearance at an airport in Kinston, North Carolina, Trump said, “hopefully, we get rid of Mitch McConnell pretty soon,” undermining the Senate Republican leader who endorsed Trump earlier this year despite holding him responsible for the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.
“Can you believe he endorsed me?” Trump added. “That must have been a painful day in his life,” he laughed.
During his third appearance on Sunday in Macon, Georgia, Trump shifted his focus to immigration. He told his supporters that in two days, they would “save our country” and that they were “on the verge of the four greatest years in American history.”
“You watch. It’s going to be so good. It’s going to be so much fun. It’ll be nasty a little bit at times, and maybe at the beginning, in particular,” Trump said. “But it’s going to be something.”
Trump allies praised his speech, saying they were glad he highlighted concerns about fraud in the race’s final stretch.
The US is set to vote for its 47th President on Tuesday, in a close contest between Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic leader Kamala Harris. This election is projected to be one of the closest races for the White House in decades.