Donald Trump Hosts First Rally Since Biden Ends Bid

Taking the stage to an exuberant crowd chanting “USA,” the former President Donald Trump held a rally Wednesday in Charlotte, North Carolina, his first since President Joe Biden announced his decision not to run for reelection. 

“As you know, three days ago we officially defeated the worst president in the history of our country, crooked Joe Biden,” Trump said of Biden’s decision.

Trump criticized his likely opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris. “So now we have a new victim to defeat, lyin’ Kamala Harris,” Trump said. He called Harris “the most incompetent and far-left vice president in American history.”

“For three and a half years, lyin’ Kamala Harris has been the ultra-liberal driving force behind every single Biden catastrophe,” he said. “She is a radical-left lunatic who will destroy our country if she ever gets the chance to get into office, we’re not gonna let that happen.”

Nor did Trump let the issue of the border, and Kamala’s role as “border czar,” go without mention. “So she was the border czar, but she never went to the border,” Trump said. “As border czar, Kamala threw open our borders and allowed 20 million illegal aliens to stampede into our country from all over the world.”

Trump wasn’t only in attack mode; he also discussed policies for his second administration. “On Day One, I will sign a new executive order to cut federal funding for any school pushing critical race theory, transgender reassignment, and other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content onto the shoulders of our children,” Trump said.

Trump highlighted his moderation on economic issues. “I will not cut one penny from Social Security or Medicare, and I will not raise the retirement age one day,” Trump said. “[Kamala’s] talking about lifting the retirement age, she’s gonna have to, because they’re putting a lot of the illegal aliens that are coming into our country, they’re going onto Social Security and Medicare.”

One passage of the speech reflected the campaign’s fresh focus on get-out-the-vote efforts. “If you want to save America, get your friends, get your family, get everyone you know and vote. Vote early, vote absentee, vote election day, I don’t care how you vote, you gotta get out, you gotta vote” Trump said. “And make sure your vote counts, follow your vote, check your vote.”