ASHEBORO, N.C. — Holding his first outdoor rally since surviving last month’s attempted assassination, Donald Trump on Wednesday railed against Vice President Kamala Harris’ approach to national security in North Carolina as part of his weeklong trip across the country to draw attention away from Democrats and their national convention.
“The world is on fire, and Kamala and Biden have marched us to the brink of World War III,” Trump said, blaming the current White House for the deadly Afghanistan withdrawal and wars between Russia and Ukraine and between Israel and Hamas.
He spoke at the North Carolina Aviation Museum & Hall of Fame from behind a podium surrounded by panes of bulletproof glass that formed a protective wall across the stage — part of ramped-up security measures aimed at keeping Trump safe after his narrow escape from a Pennsylvania gunman on July 13.
Storage containers were stacked around the perimeter to create additional walls and block sight lines. Snipers were positioned on roofs at the venue, where old aircraft were sitting behind the podium and a large American flag was suspended from cranes.
The event, billed as being focused on national security issues, is part of Trump’s weeklong series of counterprogramming to the Democratic National Convention, which is underway in Chicago. Allies have been urging him to focus on policy instead of personal attacks as he struggles to adjust to running against Harris after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race.
On Tuesday night, the convention showcased a double dose of Obama firepower, as the former president and former first lady assailed Trump, calling him out repeatedly by name.
“His limited and narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hardworking, highly educated, successful people who happen to be Black,” Michelle Obama said of Trump in a speech.
Barack Obama mocked Trump’s obsession with his crowd sizes and called Trump “a 78-year-old billionaire who hasn’t stopped whining about his problems since he rode down his golden escalator nine years ago.”
“It’s been a constant stream of gripes and grievances that’s actually gotten worse now that he’s afraid of losing to Kamala,” the former president said.
Trump briefly addressed the criticism, asking the crowd if they’d seen the speech by the man he continues to call “Barack Hussein Obama.”
“He was taking shots at your president. And so was Michelle. You know, they always say, ‘Sir, please stick to policy. Don’t get personal.’ And yet they’re getting personal all night long, these people,” he said, asking: “Do I still have to stick to policy?”
