Trump currently finds himself situated on the other side of a transparent barrier.
After barely surviving a lethal attack in mid-July, Donald Trump, then competing for the White House with Joe Biden, now publicly reemerges for the first time. Employing every tactic possible, he sets his sights on demonizing his fresh adversary.
Following a prolonged absence since the July incident, Trump made his reappearance at an outdoor event in North Carolina. Addressing the audience behind bulletproof glass in a battleground state, he hurled more accusations against his Democratic adversary, Kamala Harris. Labeling her as "the most extreme left contender" to ever aim for the US presidency, he threatened that if she gains victory on November 5, numerous jobs would vanish instantaneously, and personal savings would be decimated. "Brace yourself, for if Vice President Harris wins in November, World War III is practically guaranteed," he warned his supporters.
With Trump and running mate J.D. Vance addressing the crowd, the setup involved planes from an aviation museum, positioning snipers on neighboring building rooftops, and setting up a bulletproof barrier around the podium. After Secret Service counsel following the attack in Pennsylvania urged Trump against outdoor appearances, an audience member suffering from health issues prompted his unexpected exit from behind protective cover. "Bring a medic, it's quite hot here," he said amidst his speech, before leaving the stage to show concern for the individual and embrace her. A situation mirroring this unfolded at Harris' Milwaukee campaign event the previous night.
Prior to this latest public event, Trump had participated in about a dozen indoor events since the assassination attempt. "We won't abandon outdoor rallies," he pledged to his supporters in Pennsylvania towards the end of July. Currently, he is touring swing states potentially determining the election, aiming to distinguish himself from the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where Harris is the focus.
Trump defies advisors' guidance
During his speech in Asheboro, Trump suggested that his advisors and party leaders had encouraged him to concentrate more on political topics and decrease his personal critiques against his opponent. "Should I stoop to personal attacks? Should I not?" he addressed the audience, receiving their wholehearted backing of his combative stance. "My advisors have left the building," he joked.
Characteristically, Trump injected his speech with coarse insults. He did not just target Vice President Harris but also criticized President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama. Unhappy about Obama's speech at the Democratic convention the night prior, Trump voiced his agitation. "He was quite unkind last night. I generally aim for politeness, but it's difficult when they get personal," Trump complained. Obama had slammed Trump for using juvenile nicknames, espousing absurd conspiracy theories, and being fixated on crowd sizes. Trump was also displeased about Harris, much like himself, consistently drawing over 10,000 supporters to her campaign events.
In response to advisors suggesting a focus on political topics, Trump chose to continue his personal critiques during his speech in Asheboro, receiving applause from his audience. Despite advisors' departures, he continued to attack Vice President Harris, President Biden, and former President Obama with coarse insults.
