Donald Trump attempted to reignite a sputtering third bid for the White House on Saturday in two US states that served as the launchpad for his victorious 2016 presidential campaign. He warned that the next election would be America’s last opportunity for rescue.
After addressing grassroots activists in Salem, New Hampshire, the 76-year-old Republican, battered by political and legal challenges, spoke to a small crowd of supporters at a private gathering in Columbia, South Carolina.
“The 2024 election is our one shot to save our country and we need a leader who’s ready to do that on day one,” Trump said from a podium beneath the Statehouse rotunda, flanked by American flags and some of his most loyal political allies.
The gatherings were considered as an opportunity to revive a flagging campaign amid criticism over Trump’s lack of public appearances since announcing his fresh bid in November.
However, there was no observable change in his messaging as he repeated his litany of derogatory monikers for his political opponents and delved into his refuted allegations of a rigged 2020 election.
He discussed popular talking points from the culture wars, ranting against gender ideology, windmills that were primarily Chinese-made bird killers, and critical race theory, which he said was being taught in the military.
“There’s only one president who has ever challenged the entire establishment in Washington, and with your vote next year, we will do it again,” he said seeking to revive his 2016 image as an insurgent outsider.
His most divisive remarks were reserved for the conservative critics he refers to as “RINOs” — Republicans in name only — whom he criticized at both events, arguing in New Hampshire that they were “even more dangerous than Democrats.”
During his address to party activists in Salem he had touted his record on law and order, immigration and “rebuilding” the US military as he vowed to save the country from “being destroyed by a selfish, radical, corrupt political establishment.”
“I’m more angry now and more committed now than I ever was,” Trump said. “We need a president who’s ready to hit the ground running on day one.”
