Donald Trump on Saturday delivered two speeches, urging his Christian supporters to vote for him one last time while also courting Black voters in Philadelphia. Speaking at Temple University, Trump promised to address what he described as a city “ravaged by bloodshed,” despite data indicating a decline in violent crime. During his rally, Trump dismissed FBI statistics showing a reduction in violent crime and accused President Joe Biden of lying about the data.
Trump’s speech to a crowd in Philadelphia included a pledge to give police “immunity” to do their jobs and to “surge” federal resources to cities dealing with violence. He declared, “Under crooked Joe Biden, the City of Brotherly Love is being ravaged by bloodshed and crime.” His audience, although more diverse than usual, was still predominantly white.
“Under the Trump administration, we are going to bring law and order and safety back to our streets,” Trump asserted. His promise to combat crime was a part of his larger appeal to Black and Hispanic voters, who make up over half of Philadelphia’s population. The Trump campaign has been encouraged by opinion polls suggesting he may be gaining support with these voters.
Addressing immigration, Trump portrayed migrants in the country illegally as problematic, claiming, without evidence, that they were taking jobs from Black and Hispanic workers. “Joe Biden’s open border has also been a disaster for our great African-American and Hispanic-American populations,” he said.
Trump’s chances of winning Philadelphia are slim, as Biden won the city easily in 2020. However, he aims to reduce Biden’s margin in the region, key to the overall outcome in Pennsylvania, a crucial swing state. Trump, who has falsely claimed that systematic cheating cost him Pennsylvania in 2020, told the crowd, “Philadelphia was one of the most egregious places anywhere” for voter fraud. “We are not going to let it happen again.”
State lawmaker Malcolm Kenyatta, a Democrat, responded to Trump’s rally, saying, “Donald Trump is in a Black place, but Donald Trump does not give a damn about Black people.” Kenyatta reminded voters of Trump’s history with the bigoted conspiracy theory questioning the birthplace of Barack Obama and policies that harmed the Black working class.
Earlier on the same day, Trump spoke at an event in Washington organized by the Faith and Freedom Coalition, a conservative Christian group, where he urged churchgoers to vote for him in November. “Christians go to church, but they don’t vote that much. You know the power you have if you would vote,” Trump said. “You gotta get out and vote. Just this time. In four years you don’t have to vote, OK? In four years don’t vote, I don’t care.”
During Trump’s visit to Philadelphia, he stopped at a cheesesteak shop and revealed to supporters that he had chosen a running mate who was likely to attend the upcoming presidential debate in Atlanta on Thursday. A campaign spokesperson shared a video of the announcement on social media.
At the Faith and Freedom Coalition event, Trump briefly touched on abortion, a sensitive issue for Republicans, reiterating his stance that restrictions on the procedure should be decided by voters on a state-by-state basis. “Like Ronald Reagan, I believe in exceptions for the life of the mother – rape and incest,” Trump said. “You have to go with your heart. You have to also remember you have to get elected.”
Trump’s comments on abortion appeared to receive a lukewarm reception, with some in the crowd chanting, “No dead babies!” He drew more applause by discussing other proposals, such as eliminating the Department of Education, a measure supported by many conservative Christians who feel the federal government undermines faith-based teaching methods.
Trump’s speeches on Saturday targeted key voter demographics and issues in an effort to rally support for the upcoming election. His pledges to combat crime and support police, alongside his appeals to Christian voters, reflect his strategic campaign focus as he seeks to win in November.
Trump’s speech to a crowd in Philadelphia included a pledge to give police “immunity” to do their jobs and to “surge” federal resources to cities dealing with violence. He declared, “Under crooked Joe Biden, the City of Brotherly Love is being ravaged by bloodshed and crime.” His audience, although more diverse than usual, was still predominantly white.
“Under the Trump administration, we are going to bring law and order and safety back to our streets,” Trump asserted. His promise to combat crime was a part of his larger appeal to Black and Hispanic voters, who make up over half of Philadelphia’s population. The Trump campaign has been encouraged by opinion polls suggesting he may be gaining support with these voters.
Addressing immigration, Trump portrayed migrants in the country illegally as problematic, claiming, without evidence, that they were taking jobs from Black and Hispanic workers. “Joe Biden’s open border has also been a disaster for our great African-American and Hispanic-American populations,” he said.
Trump’s chances of winning Philadelphia are slim, as Biden won the city easily in 2020. However, he aims to reduce Biden’s margin in the region, key to the overall outcome in Pennsylvania, a crucial swing state. Trump, who has falsely claimed that systematic cheating cost him Pennsylvania in 2020, told the crowd, “Philadelphia was one of the most egregious places anywhere” for voter fraud. “We are not going to let it happen again.”
State lawmaker Malcolm Kenyatta, a Democrat, responded to Trump’s rally, saying, “Donald Trump is in a Black place, but Donald Trump does not give a damn about Black people.” Kenyatta reminded voters of Trump’s history with the bigoted conspiracy theory questioning the birthplace of Barack Obama and policies that harmed the Black working class.
Earlier on the same day, Trump spoke at an event in Washington organized by the Faith and Freedom Coalition, a conservative Christian group, where he urged churchgoers to vote for him in November. “Christians go to church, but they don’t vote that much. You know the power you have if you would vote,” Trump said. “You gotta get out and vote. Just this time. In four years you don’t have to vote, OK? In four years don’t vote, I don’t care.”
During Trump’s visit to Philadelphia, he stopped at a cheesesteak shop and revealed to supporters that he had chosen a running mate who was likely to attend the upcoming presidential debate in Atlanta on Thursday. A campaign spokesperson shared a video of the announcement on social media.
At the Faith and Freedom Coalition event, Trump briefly touched on abortion, a sensitive issue for Republicans, reiterating his stance that restrictions on the procedure should be decided by voters on a state-by-state basis. “Like Ronald Reagan, I believe in exceptions for the life of the mother – rape and incest,” Trump said. “You have to go with your heart. You have to also remember you have to get elected.”
Trump’s comments on abortion appeared to receive a lukewarm reception, with some in the crowd chanting, “No dead babies!” He drew more applause by discussing other proposals, such as eliminating the Department of Education, a measure supported by many conservative Christians who feel the federal government undermines faith-based teaching methods.
Trump’s speeches on Saturday targeted key voter demographics and issues in an effort to rally support for the upcoming election. His pledges to combat crime and support police, alongside his appeals to Christian voters, reflect his strategic campaign focus as he seeks to win in November.
