Donald Trump hits his familiar talking points at Macon rally. Here’s what he said.
Former president Donald Trump stopped in Macon Sunday to hold a rally at the Atrium Health Amphitheater, an event that featured many of Trump’s familiar platform discussions such as immigration and the economy.
The event was Trump’s final stop in Georgia before Election Day, but was delayed for about an hour and a half while the former president finished speaking at a different rally in North Carolina and traveled south.
It wasn’t Trump’s only stop in Middle Georgia this cycle. He held a town hall aimed at religious voters on Oct. 23 at a church in Zebulon, Georgia, about an hour outside of Macon.
Trump and his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, have both set their sights on the Peach State, which polls currently show as tied and whose 16 electoral votes could determine who gets the White House.
Trump was late to event
Prominent Georgia Republicans, including vocal Trump supporter Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, were in attendance. Also in attendance prior to the event were Herschel Walker, a former University of Georgia running back who unsuccessfully ran for Senate in 2022, and former Georgia GOP Chair David Shafer, who was indicted as part of a Fulton County probe into election interference in Georgia by Trump.
While the rally was set to begin at 4:30 p.m. with Trump delivering remarks at 6:30 p.m., the event didn’t begin until 5:30 p.m. when Georgia Senate Pro Tempore John F. Kennedy took the stage and opened with an invocation. Trump himself didn’t take the stage until about 8 p.m.
Guest speakers including Walker, Greene, Florida Senator Marco Rubio and former Georgia Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler filled about 30 minutes of time while Trump made his way to the venue.
The remarks from guest speakers echoed many of Trump’s talking points he has emphasized while on the campaign trail. During her speech, Greene denied that Jan. 6 was an insurrection, and called the U.S. government’s response to COVID-19 “tyrannical.”
“The government shouldn’t lock people up because they protested an election,” Greene said. “The government shouldn’t lock you down, force you to take a vaccine and muzzle you with a mask.”
Public health officials and experts are still emphasizing the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines.
At one point during the wait, an altercation broke out in the audience. While press was not allowed to get close to the situation, law enforcement and event security were able to quickly resolve the issue.
The remaining hour or so was spent playing music while the stage sat empty.
Immigration a major talking point
Trump doubled down on many of the false and disputed claims he has focused on this cycle, including that the 2020 election was stolen from him and that President Joe Biden’s administration gave Federal Emergency Management money to undocumented immigrants in the wake of hurricanes Milton and Helene.
Trump focused heavily on immigration.
He invited the mother of 25-year-old Mimi Ramirez who was allegedly killed by an undocumented immigrant in Georgia last week. Additionally, he played a video showing the mother of Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old who was allegedly killed by an undocumented immigrant in Texas.
Trump also mentioned Laken Riley, a nursing student who was allegedly killed on the University of Georgia’s campus in February by an undocumented immigrant.
“I will not let these animals into our country any longer, I will not let them spill one more precious drop of American blood,” Trump said.
He said he would advocate for the death penalty to any undocumented immigrant who kills an American citizen if elected.
In total, he spoke for about an hour and a half. By the time he finished his remarks, many attendees had left. He closed his appearance by urging supporters to head to the polls on Election Day.
“We win this state and it’s over,” Trump said.
