close
close

Trump’s political future is unknown. His campaign rallies are ending.

play

SALEM, Virginia – Donald Trump is either on the verge of a second term in the White House or another trip into the political wilderness.

But no matter the result of Tuesday’s race, the former president is near the end of a phenomenon that has fueled his political career and left a mark on American elections: His raucous campaign rallies.

Win or lose, Trump has said this is his last campaign.

That means the four rallies Monday in three battleground states – North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Michigan – are the last in a series of hundreds that began in the summer of 2015, as the former businessman and television celebrity seeks a second lease on the White House.

Trump’s rallies have long helped him and his campaign fire up their troops, sign up potential voters – and generate criticism via often controversial comments about opponents, women, and minorities, often with violent rhetoric. Typically the campaign stops are more about politics than policy, with rhetoric that’s designed more to rile up the faithful than discuss the issues. They have also featured some of the most shocking moments of this year’s race for the White House – including an assassination attempt in which one of the former president’s supporters was killed.

“A lot of interesting stuff has happened,” said Zeb Grant, 18, who took in his first Trump rally on Saturday afternoon in Salem, Virginia, referring to the assassination attempt and Trump’s often newsworthy rhetoric.

Polls in 2024 show a close contest that – as with Trump’s two previous presidential races – has been roiled by Trump’s rallies, including the very last week.

During an event Sunday at an airport near Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Trump again used violent imagery toward imagined enemies, in this case the media: “To get me, somebody would have to shoot through the fake news. And I don’t mind that so much. I don’t mind.”

Trump has also been expressing nostalgia for his previous rallies, like he did on Saturday at the Salem Civic Center near Roanoke, Virginia. As the southwestern Virginia crowd nearly filled a 7,000-seat arena, there were some empty spots at the back of the floor, Trump praised their contributions to American history.

Election Day is “going to be one of the most interesting days in the history of our country,” Trump said of his race against Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, while urging his rallygoers to get themselves and their friends out to vote against the incumbent vice president.

The Trump stump speech

After the first Trump event – June 17, 2015, at Manchester Community College in New Hampshire – Trump rallies quickly became a thing with conservative voters. The campaign gradually began holding them in bigger venues, the Dallas Mavericks basketball arena; a 33,000-seat football stadium in Mobile, Alabama, after he won the White House in 2016, and filling them up.

Over the years, Trump has preferred outdoor events like stadiums and fairgrounds. More recently, because of security threats and somewhat smaller crowds, the Trump rallies have been more confined to airports and arenas. The early rallies also drew angry protests, to the point where a 2016 planned event in Chicago had to be canceled.

Trump’s rallies began as a way to appeal to the early caucus and primary states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. In general elections, the focus has been on battleground states, but not always. At the Madison Square Garden rally in New York last month, Trump surrogate Vivek Ramaswamy said during his introductory remarks that the Empire State was a 2024 swing state, a projection that Democrats aren’t buying. In coming to Salem, Virginia, the Trump campaign picked a state where they hope to pull an upset over Harris, although polls indicate that is a long shot.

As at other rallies, Trump fans lined up hours early in Virginia. Some killed time by browsing the standard merchandise tents selling Trump hats, Trump t-shirts, Trump hoodies, Trump shot glasses, and Trump-branded shoes. Inside the arena, local politicians – some famous, some not – warmed up the crowd by extolling the virtues of Trump and the Republicans. The program in Salem featured Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a potential presidential candidate himself one day.

In between speakers, rallygoers rocked out to the music. The Trump playlist has changed over the years as artists have demanded that the campaign stop playing their music, but it includes standards like James Brown’s “It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World” and Alice Cooper’s “No More Mister Nice Guy.” Trump’s walk-on song remains the same: Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless The USA.”

Trump’s speeches, often more than 90 minutes, often go off on tangents, “the weave,” as Trump calls it, but those digressions are wrapped around a basic speech. In recent weeks, Trump begins with a question that GOP nominee Ronald Reagan used in 1980 against incumbent Jimmy Carter: Are you better off now than you were four years ago?

Earlier in the year, Trump emphasized high inflation rates and the increased cost of living. More recently, Trump says the biggest issue facing the country is immigration, talking about alleged crimes by undocumented migrants. The rallies also feature videos from relatives of crime victims, though Trump has misrepresented some of the incidents and statistics he often cites.

When he talks about foreign policy, Trump also claims that the world is on the verge of “World War III,” and only he can stop it. He also often hits the Biden administration on its handling of global conflicts, claiming without evidence that the Israel-Hamas war and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would not have happened on his watch.

Trump often tries to play to local sensibilities. In recent days, he has brought successful local sports teams to stage, often in connection with the debate over transgender athletes. In Salem, he introduced members of the Roanoke College women’s swim team.

One difference from rallies in previous elections is that Trump goes on longer, often speaking for more than 90 minutes. A New York Times computer analysis published in early October said Trump’s speeches last an average of 82 minutes, compared to 45 minutes in 2016. More people also exit the rallies early, as they did Saturday evening in Salem, leaving a few chunks of empty seats in the arena by the time Trump wrapped up.

Trump’s tone has also been darker in this campaign, and his use of profanity has proliferated. During his rally on Saturday in Gastonia, North Carolina, Trump said of his campaign abilities that “I’m really good at this s—.”

Jennifer Mercieca,  a historian of American political rhetoric at Texas A&M University, called Trump’s rallies “the centerpiece of his campaigning strategy” that are designed to seize control of the news cycle, speak to supporters – in person and on television and computer screens – and to “show the strength of his movement.”

“They became a sort of political catechism where Trump narrated a scary world of chaos and violence and promised to use his prodigious powers to protect his followers,” she said.

Trump and allies say the rallies are an opportunity to organize, sign up voters, raise money and have fun, complete with videos and a musical playlist.

“It shows all of America how much we support Trump,” said Laura Mercier, 67, a retired machinist from Blacksburg, Virginia who attended Trump’s Salem rally.

In the Virginia city, as elsewhere, Trump described his followers as “the greatest political movement” in history.

Insults at Trump rallies

Trump’s political speeches have drawn eyes since the moment he announced his presidential bid in June of 2015. The former president and his allies’ attacks have been central to that attention.

As he announced he’d run for office nearly a decade ago, Trump said from the lobby of Trump Tower in Manhattan, that Mexico was “bringing crime, they’re bringing rapists and some, I assume, are good people.”

Fast forward to today. At Trump’s highly-promoted Oct. 27 rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City, insult comedian Tony Hinchcliffe said: “I don’t know if you know this but there’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it’s called Puerto Rico.”

Latino voters in Pennsylvania were not amused. Trump and aides denounced the joke, one of several racist comments by speakers during an event that also included misogynistic, transphobic and other offensive remarks.

But above all, Trump’s rallies have focused on attacking his political opponents, starting with 2016 Republican aspirant Jeb Bush and moving on to Democrats Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and Harris, as well as Republicans like Liz Cheney.

Trump sparked criticism last week for suggesting Cheney, a former Republican lawmaker who has become one of Trump’s most vocal critics, should be sent into armed combat. That comment did not come during a rally, but a Q-and-A session with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson.

Back in 2016, Trump rallies originated the “lock her up” chants against Clinton. This time around, supporters of Trump have directed the lock-up chant at Biden and Harris.

An assassination attempt

A 2024 rally also featured one of the most shocking moments of the Trump era: The July 12 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, a bullet from a rifle nicking Trump’s ear. One man, Corey Comperatore, was killed in the shooting, and two others were injured. A Secret Service officer killed the gunman.

That shooting was the first of two assassination attempts against the Trump, with the second coming in September involving a man who followed Trump at his Florida golf course.

Trump often discusses the assassination attempt during his rallies and has made a chant of his words to the crowd as he was led off the stage in Butler: “Fight! Fight! Fight!”

In Salem, Trump joked that “I’m missing a little piece of my ear.”

The Trump campaign staged a reprise of the Butler rally on Oct. 5, one that featured a new staple of outdoor rallies: Bulletproof glass at the podium.

Bizarre moments

In recent weeks, as early voting started in several states, Trump rallies have managed to raise more eyebrows over other strange moments.

On Oct. 15, after a rally in Oaks, Pennsylvania, was interrupted twice by medical emergencies, Trump ordered that his staff play music to calm the crowd. He then proceeded to stay on stage for nearly 40 minutes, swaying to the beat and occasionally calling out to the attendees.

Four days later, Trump opened a rally in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, by hailing the physical endowments of the late golf legend and Latrobe native Arnold Palmer.

On Saturday in Milwaukee, Trump complained about the sound quality in the arena, grabbed the mic, and then appeared – to some – to pantomime a sexual act with the microphone stand.

In rally speeches over the years, Trump has hailed the talents of fictional serial killer Hannibal Lecter. He has also often recited the lyrics to “The Snake,” a 60s song about a woman who takes an ill serpent, nurses it back to health, and gets bitten in return.

‘Sometimes, he runs his mouth’

Trump – and his supporters – said the rallies have also given him chances to outline his agenda, meet with voters, promote turnout, and indict Harris and Biden over the alleged failures of their administration.

In Salem, Virginia, some Trump backers said they do wish he were a little bit more cautious about his public statements.

“Sometimes, he runs his mouth a little more than he should – but we all do,” said Grant, who is from nearby Troutville and is preparing to cast his first vote.

Like rallygoers in a host of other cities, members of the Salem contingent said they like the show and are devoted to Trump. They also believe the rallies help increase voter turnout by getting people excited.

“It gets the people involved – it brings them out – it motivates them,” said Kathy Ferguson, 75, a retiree from Franklin County, Virginia, and a Republican volunteer. “It creates a feeling of unity.”

She added, “And people love Trump – it’s just that simple.”

Jason Mattox, 56, a business owner from Salem, said the rallies are a good chance for Trump to see his supporters and for supporters to feel they are a part of history.

“It gets everybody informed,” he said. “It gets everybody riled up and excited.”

Trump’s 2024 campaign is set to end with a flurry of rallies in four of the seven battleground states: Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia, and Michigan. The final send-off is slated to match what he did during his 2016 and 2020 campaigns, with a rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It is scheduled for 10:30 p.m., but will likely run late past midnight and into Election Day.

As the campaign winds down, Trump has reflected on his longtime rallies, the centerpiece of his political life, telling supporters in Allentown, Pennsylvania., that “we’re going to miss these giant rallies … I love the rallies.” He also told supporters “we’ve been on this journey together.”

Previous politicians have drawn frenzied crowds – from William Jennings around the turn into the 20th century to Barack Obama at the start of the 21st – but it’s hard to think of anyone who has done it for longer and with as much intensity. Trump is one of the few presidential candidates to be re-nominated after losing a presidential election.

Looking ahead, Trump has wondered about who might succeed him, at one point, he mentioned running mate JD Vance, but he has put most of the focus on the passing time. On Friday in Warren, Mich., Trump reminded the crowd that “we’re not going to have this too much longer.”

“You know, we’re winding down,” Trump said. “We’re winding down.”

You may also like...