A return to aggressiveness in the campaign
The former president of the United States and Republican candidate, Donald Trump, has returned to aggressive rhetoric in his election campaign. This return comes after a brief period in which he had softened his tone following an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania. Trump had taken advantage of that episode to call for national unity, presenting himself as a president for the entire country. However, he has now resumed his attacks against the current president and Democratic candidate, Joe Biden, during a rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Rally in Grand Rapids: attacks and jokes against Biden
With a discreet bandage on the ear injured in the attack, Donald Trump appeared before a fervent crowd chanting ‘USA’ and ‘Fight’. He was grateful for the support and soon began attacking his opponent. He addressed how Joe Biden’s campaign labeled him a threat to democracy. ‘Last week, I was shot for democracy,’ he said wryly.
Disconnection from ‘Project 2025’
Trump also wanted to distance himself from ‘Project 2025’, a plan attributed to an ultra-conservative think tank that proposes dismantling the state and replacing officials with politically related individuals. He described the promoters of this plan as ‘right-wing radicals’ and ‘extremists’.
Live poll on Democrats
In an interactive moment at the rally, Trump proposed a live poll on who would be the best Democratic candidate. Vice President Kamala Harris’s name was met with boos, while Joe Biden’s caused a great uproar. ‘I don’t think we need to go any further,’ he added. He then scoffed that Democratic leaders are frantically trying to change the primary results to remove Biden from the race.
The former president also took the opportunity to point out Biden’s weak performance in the debate at the end of June, which he said has caused several Democratic leaders to pressure Biden to drop out of the presidential race. ‘Who won the debate, Biden or Trump?’ he asked, receiving shouts chanting his last name. ‘This man is weak, pathetic and unfit to run,’ Trump said, more aggressive than ever.
Reiterations of allegations of electoral fraud
In his speech, Trump repeated unfounded claims of voter fraud in previous elections. ‘When you vote for Biden, you’re probably indirectly voting for Harris,’ he added. Additionally, he reiterated his campaign proposals, focusing on controlling illegal immigration and promising future tax cuts.
Pressure continues on Joe Biden
Meanwhile, President Joe Biden continues to recover from Covid-19 at his residence, and has been momentarily overshadowed by Kamala Harris. The vice president attended a fundraising event in Massachusetts, managing to raise more than $2 million. This comes amid growing pressure from several congressional Democrats for Biden to abandon his campaign. Among the new names to join this petition is Mark Takano, a legislator from California, who expressed his support for Harris as his successor.
Senator Elizabeth Warren, who was Biden’s rival in the 2020 primaries, also said that the president has ‘a decision to make’. Speaking to MSNBC, she highlighted Harris’ experience as a prosecutor in taking on Trump, whom she called a ‘convicted felon.’
