Donald Trump, the 78-year-old Republican presidential candidate, resumed his campaign with his first outdoor rally since a shooting incident in Pennsylvania last month. The rally, held at the North Carolina Aviation Museum & Hall of Fame on Wednesday, featured heightened security measures, including bulletproof glass surrounding the stage and storage containers stacked around the perimeter to block direct sight lines.
During the event, which focused on national security, Trump criticized President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for their handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal, as well as the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. He also took aim at speeches made by former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama at a Democratic gathering in Chicago, accusing them of making personal attacks against him.
Trump, who is facing Kamala Harris in the upcoming November election after Biden stepped aside, asked the crowd if he should continue sticking to policy in his speeches, noting the Obamas’ personal criticisms. Despite the increased security measures, including snipers on rooftops and a large American flag suspended from cranes, Trump remained defiant, continuing his week-long series of events meant to counter the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
Trump’s supporters and allies have been urging him to focus more on policy rather than personal attacks, as he adjusts to the new dynamic of facing Harris directly in the election campaign.
