Donald Trump Pennsylvania Rally: Watch The 5 Most Unhinged Moments From Grievance-Filled Speech [Video]
Donald Trump delivered a wild, 90-minute speech on Thursday, filled with complaints about the media, Hillary Clinton, and what he called the “Russia hoax,” in a rally held at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, as CNN reported.
On the same day that his White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee refused to contradict Trump’s often-repeated assertions that the media is “the enemy of the people,” as the Washington Post reported, Trump used his Pennsylvania speech to condemn journalists as “horrible, horrendous people,” according to Think Progress reporter Aaron Rupar, who posted many of the most alarming excerpts from the speech on his Twitter feed.
Trump continued to incite his supporters against the media. At a Trump rally in Florida on Tuesday, Trump’s supporters subjected CNN reporter Jim Acosta to a stream of verbal abuse, as the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported, making obscene gestures, shouting “F*** the media!” and “CNN sucks!” among other invective at the veteran TV journalist.
Also in the Thursday speech, Trump referred to “the Russia hoax,” even though just hours earlier, several top national security officials — including National Security Adviser John Bolton and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats — held a press conference announcing new measures against the Russian attacks, as CNN reported.
Here are five of the most unhinged and bizarre moments from Trump’s Pennsylvania rally, courtesy of Rupar.
In one shocking moment, Trump mocked Arizona Senator John McCain for McCain’s “thumbs down” vote against the repeal of the Affordable Care Act in July of 2017. McCain, who was held as a prisoner and tortured by the North Vietnamese during the Vietnam War, remaining in captivity from 1967 to 1973.
Trump mocks cancer-stricken John McCain, and mimics his decisive vote against ACA repeal pic.twitter.com/BRIQEAAt8e
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 3, 2018
The crowd at the rally broke into a chant of “Lock Her Up,” directed at Trump’s 2016 election opponent Hillary Clinton, Think Progress reported. Trump responded by suggesting that he may still intend to jail his political opponent.
Staying on the topic of Clinton, Trump complained that his 2016 election foe was supported by pop star Beyonce and her husband, rapper and entrepreneur Shawn “Jay Z” Carter.
TRUMP on Hillary: "She would bring in Beyonce & Jay-z would get up & use language that is so bad. They would say 'Trump's language is tough.' You have heard Jay-Z. She would bring in Springsteen. They were drawing crowds smaller than mine. I said, 'why are we going to lose?'" pic.twitter.com/MMGDYct9I2
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 3, 2018
In another odd moment, Trump — who was famously caught on tape bragging about grabbing women “by the p***y,” and as Newsweek has recounted, has frequently used the word “p***y” in public — bragged about how much women like him.
Trump on women: "They like me. hey like me. Look at all of those pink signs from the women. Look at that." pic.twitter.com/6Lp1Z9niCB
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 3, 2018
As the speech went on, Trump appeared to tire, lapsing into slurred speech.
Trump butchers the word "missiles" pic.twitter.com/EGDm7zcZmj
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 3, 2018
Trump's slurring is becoming more noticeable as his speech approaches 90 minutes in duration pic.twitter.com/SS4UuIBDGh
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 3, 2018
At the rally, Trump also repeated his pledge to shut down the government later this year, supposedly to force a change in immigration laws.
“Whether it’s before or after, we are getting it or we are closing down government. We need border security,” Trump declared, according to CNN.
