June 10th 2024.
Former President Donald Trump made a fiery appearance in scorching Las Vegas, rallying his supporters in the blistering heat. He even went as far as to tell his followers to ask for assistance if they needed it, and expressed frustration with the malfunctioning teleprompters.
In order to ensure the safety of the crowd, Trump's team had hired extra medics and provided fans and water bottles. They also allowed attendees to bring umbrellas to shield themselves from the intense sun. Despite these precautions, the Clark County Fire Department reported that many people were still affected by the heat, with six individuals being sent to the hospital and 24 others receiving on-site treatment.
During his speech, Trump playfully joked that he didn't care about his supporters, he just wanted their votes. He also quipped about the concerns over the safety of the crowd, teasing that even the US Secret Service was more worried about them than him.
This was Trump's second rally in Nevada since his conviction in a hush-money scandal. While the conviction has energized his supporters and boosted his fundraising efforts, it remains to be seen if it will sway any undecided voters. Trump is also facing a video conference with New York probation officials on Monday, as part of the process leading up to his sentencing in July.
Although temperatures in the Southwest have cooled down slightly since reaching record highs, they were still well above normal at the rally, which was held at a park with little shade near the airport. Despite the intense heat, Trump remarked that it wasn't as bad as he had expected, but he did express frustration with the teleprompters not working properly. This was ironic, as he had previously mocked former President Barack Obama for relying on the device.
Trump's team had prepared for the heat by providing water bottles to those waiting in line and setting up misting fans, water pallets, and cooling tents inside the venue. Nevada GOP Chair Michael McDonald remarked that the heat was nothing for the people of Las Vegas, but it symbolized their determination to elect Trump.
McDonald and five other Republicans are currently facing accusations of submitting false certificates to Congress declaring Trump the winner of Nevada's 2020 presidential election. Their trial has been pushed to next year. Trump also addressed the rioters who stormed the Capitol on January 6th, calling them "victims" of a "set up." However, this conspiracy theory has been widely debunked.
The former president's claims of election fraud have been repeatedly rejected by courts, including by judges he appointed himself. Despite this, his campaign had paid for additional EMS services to be on site in case of emergency. The Secret Service also made an exception to allow attendees to bring in personal water bottles and umbrellas.
One attendee, Camille Lombardi, a retired nurse from Henderson, remarked that it was worth enduring the heat to see Trump in person for the first time. However, at a rally in Arizona earlier in the week, 11 people had to be taken to the hospital for heat exhaustion. Many of Trump's supporters had waited in line for hours and were unable to get inside before the venue reached capacity.
Trump's Nevada rally was the final stop on his Western tour, which included several high-dollar fundraisers. Despite losing Nevada in both the 2016 and 2020 elections, Trump hopes to win the state in the upcoming midterms by appealing to working-class voters and the growing Latino population. As part of this effort, he promised to eliminate taxes on tips, a major source of income for workers in the service industry. However, this promise was met with criticism from the Culinary Union, who saw it as a hollow campaign promise from a convicted felon.
Before Trump took the stage, four Hispanic immigrants spoke to the crowd as part of the Latino Americans for Trump Coalition. It remains to be seen how successful Trump's renewed focus on the Latino vote will be in the upcoming election.
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