Despite cold weather and biting wind, thousands of supporters waited for hours in a field behind a Lehigh County firehouse for former President Trump Saturday.
“The pilot said, ‘It’s too windy to land, sir,’” said Trump. “I said, ‘Land anyway.’ It’s windy, but it’s beautiful. It’s Pennsylvania.”
The crowd that had been chanting “U.S.A., U.S.A.” cheered in response.
Just hours before Trump took the stage, news broke of a massive missile and drone attack launched by Iran against Israel. Trump urged the audience to pray for the Jewish state.
“God bless the people of Israel. They’re under attack right now. That’s because we showed great weakness,” Trump said. “This would not have happened if we were in office. You know that. We know that. Everybody knows that.”
Trump told his supporters that, after voters returned him to the White House, “We will return the world to peace through strength. It will happen very quickly.”
A few minutes later, he said the war in Ukraine would not have occurred if he had been still president.
Edward X. Young, a Republican committeeman in Brick, N.J., has attended 74 Trump rallies.
Toward the end of his speech, Trump endorsed Republican Senate candidate Dave McCormick, who is running against incumbent Sen. Bob Casey (D).
“He’s a good man,” said Trump. “He wants to run a good ship. He’s a smart guy. He’s a very successful guy. He’s given up a lot to do this…Go out and vote for him because Casey doesn’t do a damn thing.”
Trump mentioned that inflation is nearly 4 percent and that “crooked Joe” had said it was “transitory.” He listed the various causes Biden had blamed inflation on.
“All of America knows this nightmare belongs to one person: crooked Joe Biden,” said Trump.
“That’s why the people of Pennsylvania are going to tell crooked Joe you’re fired. Get out,” he said to cheers. The crowd chanted, “Joe’s gotta go!”
Trump spoke about Biden’s border policy and his “green energy scam. Would everybody like to buy an electric car?” he asked.
Trump mentioned the fossil fuel bonanza in Pennsylvania.
“Under Biden, gasoline prices are up over 50 percent, and electricity prices are up 39 percent.”
Biden “launched a crusade to smash oil and gas,” said Trump.
“When I am back in the White House, we will end Biden’s inflation train wreck and tell Pennsylvania, ‘Drill, baby, drill,’” Trump said, noting that windmills kill birds, leaving “bird cemeteries” underneath.
Trump also mentioned his hush money trial set to start April 15 in Manhattan.
Audrey Strein
“They want to take away my constitutional right to talk,” said Trump. “They have a crooked judge…as the radical Left Democratic Party seeks to do anything possible to keep me from running and winning this election. Let me tell you, we’re winning by so much they don’t know what’s happening.”
His opponents had “Russia, Russia” and “every hoax imaginable,” he said.
“This is what you call a communist show trial. And we’re going communist. If we don’t win this election, this country is finished.”
“This election is a choice between the Biden fascist state or the republic.”
He said he would debate Biden “anywhere, anytime.”
The millions of undocumented immigrants who have come across the border since Biden became president are a threat to national security, with Trump adding that a person on the terrorist watch list was recently caught.
“As soon as we take office, we’ll seal the border,” he said. “We had the safest, most secure border in the history of our country.” He mentioned Danelo Cavalcante, a convicted murderer who escaped the Chester County Prison and was on the lam for four weeks. Cavalcante, an illegal immigrant, was wanted for murder in Brazil.
Earlier on Saturday, Trump attended a fundraiser at the Newtown Athletic Club. Several hundred people, many with Trump banners, signs and apparel, hoped to catch a glimpse of the former president.
Newtown residents Joe Faboroso and Jim Slemmer spoke to DVJournal.
“He believes in freedom and America first,” Faboroso said of Trump. “Unlike ‘America Last’ Biden.”
Slemmer added, “Those politicians don’t care about the American people. They only care about money.”
Audrey Strein of Jamison supports Trump because of “promises made. Promises kept.” She said that when Trump was president, unemployment was down for women, Hispanics, and Blacks. Trump launched programs to help the inner city. She’s employed in the roofing industry, and she appreciates that Trump cut regulations that are “getting worse every day.”
Amy Buchko
“God bless Trump,” said John Myers, who’s been a volunteer firefighter in Bucks County for 50 years. A Newtown resident, his son served in the Air Force in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“I think he’s a man of freedom,” said Yardley resident Amy Buchko. “I’m in fear for my grandchildren’s lives under the Biden regime.” Biden is “slowly taking our freedoms away.”
Democratic protestor Amy Perry of Morrisville carried a sign that said, “April 15 Forecast. Stormy.”
Trump’s presence in the state triggered Democrats, including Gov. Josh Shapiro, who bashed him on abortion. Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Delaware), Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D-Philadelphia), and candidate Ashley Ehasz, who is running against Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Bucks), held a press conference on “reproductive rights.”
Trump said he would not sign a bill that bans abortion nationwide and that the rules about the procedure should be up to the states. He also supports exceptions to save women’s lives and for incest and rape.
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