Former President Donald Trump held a rally in Prescott Valley on Sunday afternoon, capping a flurry of visits to Arizona by both presidential campaigns.
Trump concentrated on his promise to close America’s borders. Border security is something he has consistently focused on in Arizona, and he has promised to close the southern border on day one if re-elected.
“Anyone who would import criminal gangs to occupy America cannot ask to be president. Anyone who orchestrated an invasion of America cannot lead America. Kamala Harris’s reign of terror ends the day I take the oath of office,” Trump said.
Trump spoke to an audience of thousands at the Findlay Toyota Center - but the event was overbooked, and many people who had registered were turned away. Some stayed and watched the event on a screen at a dirt field nearby.
A spokesperson for the Trump team did not respond to a request for comment as to how many people registered beyond the capacity of the venue.
Trump says polls are wrong when they call the economy the number one issue.
“I think the number one issue is the destruction of our country, what’s happened at the border. I really think that’s actually the number one issue,” he said.
Trump called Biden cognitively impaired but said that Biden is still “more intelligent” than Harris. He also said Biden is superior to her and that he looks better than she does.
He pronounced Harris’ name a variety of ways.
He criticized Harris and Biden for not closing the border and for claiming that they need a bill to go through Congress to get anything done on border security. Trump said the president can do that unilaterally.
Trump referred to undocumented immigrants as “bloodthirsty,” “vicious,” “animals,” “illegals,” and “criminals,” citing examples of several crimes committed in the United States by illegal immigrants.
He accused Harris of importing the immigrants to “prey on innocent people.”
Throughout his speech, Trump gave shout-outs to several Arizona Republicans, but none more so than Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake. Trump called her “tough as hell” and praised her performance in a recent debate against Democratic Congressman Ruben Gallego.
In terms of his economic plans, Trump reiterated his pledge to eliminate taxes on tips, taxes on overtime and taxes on Social Security benefits, plus making car interest payments tax-deductible.
Trump also spoke about the various legal investigations against him as part of a banana republic that Americans can see through. He said he’s been investigated more than the “late, great” Al Capone.
A handful of audience members interviewed leaving the venue said universally that they’re supporting Trump. Several mentioned that it’s partly because he seems “real” to them - not overly scripted.
In fact, Trump said in his speech that some people are calling him the “greatest speaker of all time,” like Winston Churchill. Then he joked that the media will accuse him of comparing himself to Churchill.
Early voting began in Arizona on Wednesday. Trump urged the audience members to not only vote, but to vote early.
He also reiterated claims that he won the 2020 election, not President Joe Biden.
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