Former President Donald Trump held a rally at J.S. Dorton Arena in Raleigh on Monday less than 24 hours before Election Day. It was the first of four stops for Trump in crucial swing states in the final hours before Nov. 5.
After Republican candidate for NC’s 13th Congressional District Brad Knott, Republican candidate for Attorney General Dan Bishop, Trump’s senior advisor Alina Habba and Donald Trump Jr., Trump began his remarks.
A tone of nostalgia threaded Trump’s remarks. As he opened his speech, Trump referred to this time as the end of a journey.
He also boasted about his position in the polls, saying that the election is “ours to lose.”
“If we get everybody out to vote, there’s not a thing they can do,” Trump said. “And if we don’t, they have to get every person that ever signed anything in that horrendously dangerous party, and it already is destroying our country, we just can’t let that happen. So here’s my only purpose in even being here today — get out and vote.”
Trump addressed his qualms with what he saw as the Biden-Harris administration’s mishandling of immigration. A chart was projected on a screen claiming that illegal immigration into the United States was the lowest the country has ever seen, though this chart has been the subject of criticism with some citing it as being misleading.
He said one of the first calls he would make as president would be to Mexico, telling their government to stop letting people come into the country through the Southern border.
Trump also revealed that he planned to inform Mexico’s newly elected president, Claudia Sheinbaum, that if the country did not stop the “onslaught of criminals and drugs coming in” to the U.S., he would “immediately impose” a 25% tariff on everything Mexico imports into the United States.
“You’re the first ones I’ve told that to — congratulations, North Carolina,” Trump said. “And it’s only got a 100% chance of working, because if that doesn’t work I’ll make it 50%. And if that doesn’t work, I’ll make it 75% for the tough guys.”
After speaking for around 45 minutes, it appeared as though Trump was preparing to wrap up his remarks, referring to the other stops he had to make. He made another push encouraging voters to vote on Election Day.
“Tomorrow you have to stand up and tell Kamala that you’ve had enough, you can’t take anymore,” Trump said. “I mean, what a terrible job. What they have done to our country — and you’re gonna say that to her. You’re gonna say, ‘You’ve done a terrible job. You’re grossly incompetent. We’re not gonna take it anymore. Kamala, you’re fired. Get the hell out of here.’”
Arkansas governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Florida senator Marco Rubio took the stage, rousing the crowd with brief remarks in favor of Trump’s campaign.
“Tomorrow North Carolina and the country are going to make our 45th president our 47th president,” Rubio said. “And with Donald Trump back in the White House, together we will dream big again for this country. We will be a country that is proud about its history, excited about its future because together with Donald Trump, we are going to make America not just great but greater than it has ever been before.”
Trump continued to speak for close to an hour after the remarks from Sanders and Rubio, during which he took aim at members of the media.
After recounting various qualms he has with former Speaker of the House Rep. Nancy Pelosi, he referred to her husband’s recent sale of $500,000 in Visa stocks ahead of an investigation by the Department of Justice.
“The following day they announced a major investigation into Visa but she got out, and the fake news back there does nothing about it,” Trump said. “They should be ashamed.”
Trump pointed directly to the press pool in the arena during this statement. The crowd responded with boos while many turned to face the press pool and with some pointing at and video recording reporters. This was the first of several times Trump referred directly to media in the building as “fake news,” oftentimes pointing to the press pool directly.
Earlier in his remarks, Trump joked about nonexistent breaking news saying that President Joe Biden officially announced that “he likes Trump more than he likes Kamala.” He clarified his statement minutes after, once again referencing press in the building.
“By the way, just to get it straight because there will be reports — it’s already probably out over the wires,” Trump said. “I’m only kidding about Joe. He didn’t officially say that, but I believe, OK?”
Trump circled back to immigration, mentioning some of his day one priorities. He said on day one he would launch the “largest deportation of criminal program in American history,” in addition to invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which allows the president to detain, relocate or deport non-citizens deemed an enemy of the country during wartime.
Trump then called for the death penalty for “any migrant that kills an American citizen or law enforcement officer.” The proclamation received one of the biggest applause of the morning.
After giving the crowd an update on the Trump family and shouting out the opening speakers and several other state Republicans, Trump began his concluding remarks.
“In conclusion, with your vote tomorrow we’re going to fire Kamala, we’re going to save America and we’re going to cut your taxes, end inflation, slash your prices, raise your wages and bring thousands of factories back to America and back to North Carolina,” Trump said.
Trump briefly mentioned both the war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war, and said neither would have started had he been in office. He said the country is “very close” to World War III, which he promised to prevent if elected.
Trump mentioned again that this is likely one of his last-ever campaign stops.
“Think of this, I won’t be doing this anymore with North Carolina,” Trump said. “After today, I’m just thinking as I’m going through this that this will be our final moment. … But these moments that we’ve had together, these really were just to create what we hopefully will create tomorrow which is we’re going to make America great again.”
Election Day is Nov. 5. Polls open in North Carolina at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m., though those in line by that time will be allowed to vote past closing. Voters can find their Election Day polling location here.
Former President Donald Trump speaks to crowd at his rally at J.S. Dorton Arena on Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. This was one of four rallies Trump spoke at Monday.
