Participants at former President Donald Trump's South Dakota rally were seen wearing T-shirts with Mr. Trump's mug shot as he spoke to a gathering of around 7,000 people at a hockey arena in Rapid City.
Trump continued with his allegations of a manipulated 2020 election and slammed President Joe Biden, accusing him of incompetence. Trump highlighted the economic problems and rising number of illegal immigrants in the country . He also urged his followers and supporters to band together and vote for him in the upcoming 2024 election.
During his re-election campaign in July 2020, President Trump appeared in front of Mount Rushmore, offering a stark picture of what he thought the left would do to the country. Three years later, after an electoral setback and four indictments, he returned with an identical message: ‘He was the only one who could safeguard America.’
"They're just destroying our country," Trump declared, underlining the importance of the 2024 election. He admitted his new circumstances, and proudly mentioned his four criminal charges, even transforming them into applauding lines. "I'm being indicted for you," he told the audience, explaining that, while it's not part of his job description, he's taking on these allegations for the sake of his followers.
Some in the crowd sported T-shirts with Mr. Trump's mug image and the phrase "Never Surrender."
Trump himself expressed surprise at the rise in his poll numbers in the Republican primary match following his indictments, proclaiming to be the only indicted politician to see such a jump. However, polls show that most Americans believe his criminal convictions were justified, increasing fears among some Republicans about the potential influence on the general election.
Trump's campaign may face operational and financial difficulties as a result of his legal concerns.The South Dakota Republican Party organized the event, and Governor Kristi Noem, a Trump supporter, invited several Republicans but received only Mr. Trump's acceptance. During his 110-minute speech, Mr. Trump reaffirmed his 2020 allegations, claiming that Democrats wanted to rewrite history, change American ideals, and vandalize treasures like Mount Rushmore. He did, however, pick out individual political opponents, calling Florida Governor Ron DeSantis an "unskilled politician" and President Biden "grossly incompetent and very dangerous."
