Trump slams ‘weak and ineffective’ rivals at rally during GOP debate

Donald Trump has slammed his “Weak and ineffective” Republican rivals for the party’s presidential nomination as he again skipped the latest GOP debate.

The former president urged the party establishment to ditch his opponents and get behind his campaign to try and retake the White House in 2024.

“You have about seven or eight candidates left. I think they are at a debate tonight no one is talking about it, everyone is watching…it’s 61 per cent for your favourite president – me – 10 per cent for Ron DeSanctimonious and 7 per cent for Bird Brain (Nikki Haley),” said Mr Trump at his counter-programming debate in Hialeah, Florida, on Wednesday evening.

“Our nation is in very serious trouble and it is time for the Republican establishment to stop wasting time and resources trying to push weak and ineffective RINOs and Never Trumpers that nobody wants and nobody is going to vote for.

“I watched these guys coming in and they are not watchable. The last debate was the lowest-rated debate in the history of politics, so do you think we did the right thing by not participating?”

And he added: “I’m standing in front of tens of thousands of people and it’s on television, that’s a hell of a lot harder to do than a debate.”

Former President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a campaign rally in Hialeah, Fla., Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023. (AP)
Former President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a campaign rally in Hialeah, Fla., Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023. (AP)

Mr Trump also mocked Democrats Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar as the war between Hamas and Israel rages on.

“In times like these, you cannot have an administration that takes foreign policy advice from Ilhan Omar or Rashida Tlaib. AOC plus three right?”

Former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Hialeah, Fla., Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023. (AP)
Former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Hialeah, Fla., Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023. (AP)

And he added: “On day one we will restore the trump travel ban and implement strict vetting and ideological screening for new entrants to our country, we don’t do that now…anyone can come in.”

Mr Trump also warned the crowd about “thousands and thousands” of “strong young men” flooding into the country from the Middle East.

“They have something in mind, something in mind. In many cases, these are the same people that did the attack on Israel a few weeks ago, the same people,” claimed Mr Trump.