Former US President Donald Trump has held his first official rally for his 2024 presidential campaign in Waco, Texas, promising that “2024 will be the final battle” and that he will overcome the accusations against him.
On Saturday, Trump hosted a rally in Waco’s regional airport that drew more than 15,000 of his supporters.
Throughout his speech, he blasted Democratic government officials and praised those convicted after riots on January 6, 2021.
“In 2024 is the final battle, it’s going to be the big one. You put me back in the White House, their reign will be over and America will be a free nation once again,” Trump said.
The 45th president repeated his conspiracy theories around the 2020 presidential election that was “rigged”, and raged against the “weaponization of law enforcement”, branding the prosecutors overseeing multiple investigations into his conduct as “absolute human scum.”
The rally comes as Trump is facing investigations in New York City over a hush money payment in the final days of the 2016 presidential race, in Georgia over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, by Justice Department over classified documents the FBI found at Mar-a-Lago, his attempts to overturn the 2020 election and his role in the January 2021 riots.
Trump told the crowd that the investigations are part of “prosecutorial misconduct” used by the opposition.
“The thugs and criminals who are corrupting our justice system will be defeated, discredited, and totally disgraced,” he said.
‘Biggest threat to US isn’t China or Russia, but American leaders’
In a nearly 90-minute speech, Trump said the “biggest threat” to the US isn’t China or Russia, but American leaders including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a fellow Republican, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, President Biden, and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
“In many ways, these sick people are more of a threat, because we can deal with China,” Trump said, blaming the Biden administration for Russia’s ‘military operation’ in Ukraine, claiming he can end the war after winning the 2024 election, and before taking office.
He said he would end the war in Ukraine through a settlement in “24 hours,” adding that he will prevent World War III.
Trump promised to end inflation, build the world’s greatest economy, and make America energy independent and also planned to set term limits for members of Congress.
In his speech, Trump promised to fight against open borders, out-of-control crime, and bad economic policies. He also promised to be tough on illegal immigration, saying he would put more border security officers in place and stage one of the largest deportation programs in history.