Trump Regains Outdoor Rallies, Lobs Insults at Harris

In a bid to regain his dominance on the campaign trail, former US President Donald Trump held his first outdoor rally since a attempted assassination, targeting his Democratic opponent Kamala Harris from behind bulletproof glass at a rally in North Carolina.

The 78-year-old Republican candidate spoke at an aviation museum, surrounded by vintage warplanes, claiming that Harris is the “most radical left person” ever to run for the White House. He warned that millions of jobs would “vanish overnight” if she wins in November, and predicted that the country would face apocalyptic consequences.

Trump’s speech included a series of dire scenarios, including the statement that “your life savings will be totally wiped out” and that “if comrade Kamala wins this November, World War III is virtually guaranteed to happen.” The event was Trump’s first large outdoor gathering since the assassination attempt in July.

The rally in Asheboro, North Carolina, was an opportunity for Trump to reclaim his reputation as a master showman, a skill that has been a key part of his political brand. Despite being lightly wounded in the assassination attempt, Trump left the stage to check on an attendee suffering a medical issue.

The Secret Service recommended that Trump hold indoor events after the assassination attempt, and he has since staged about a dozen rallies in indoor venues. However, the outdoor rally in Asheboro marked a return to his comfort zone, as he has always relied on his ability to connect with large crowds to propel his political campaign.

Trump’s strategy was severely disrupted when Joe Biden dropped his re-election bid and endorsed Kamala Harris as the future of the Democratic Party in July. The sudden surge in support for Harris has left the Trump campaign stunned and struggling to regain momentum.

Harris has consistently drawn large crowds, with over 10,000 people attending her rallies. Her event in Milwaukee was held in the same arena used by the Republicans for their convention in July, in a clear dig at Trump.

North Carolina is one of several swing states that will decide the outcome of the November 5 election, along with other key states like Florida, Arizona, and Pennsylvania. US presidential elections are won state-by-state, with each state worth varying amounts of Electoral College votes, and the winning candidate needs to win a majority of the Electoral College.