Trump Behind Bulletproof Glass, First Outdoor Rally After Attack... "Obama Shot Me," He Criticizes

Former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate in the United States, appeared behind bulletproof glass during his first outdoor campaign rally since the shooting incident last month. Claiming that President Joe Biden and Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris have driven the world to the brink of a 'Third World War,' he promised to strengthen the military and reiterated his criticism of allied countries' free-riding on security. He also lashed out at former President Barack Obama, who drew attention with his speech at the Democratic National Convention the day before, referring to him as 'Barack Hussein Obama.'

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

On the 21st (local time), at a rally held in Asheboro, North Carolina, a key battleground state in the U.S. presidential election, former President Trump stated, "The moment I take my hand off the Bible after the presidential oath, I will restore America to maximum strength and bring peace back to the world." He added, "Mostly, I can do it with just one phone call. We don't need to send troops," and asserted, "If I win the election, I will stop and resolve the war between Ukraine and Russia before my inauguration."

Focusing on 'national security' during the outdoor rally, former President Trump claimed, "The world is burning, and Kamala and Biden have driven us to the brink of a Third World War." He held the Biden administration accountable for the decision to withdraw from Afghanistan, the war in Ukraine, and the Israel-Hamas conflict. He also mentioned, "One of the most urgent priorities is to quickly rebuild the readiness and morale of the U.S. military," noting that the 'stupid' Biden administration erased what the Trump administration had restored. He promised, "America has given everything away for free (to other countries)," and pledged "historic investments to rebuild the military."

Regarding NATO's defense spending, former President Trump said, "The allied countries did not pay, and we paid for everyone," reiterating his stance on security free-riding by stating, "That's why I said, 'You have to pay.'" He added, "Our allies are also exploiting us in trade," and said, "That no longer works."

The rally was held on a podium surrounded by bulletproof glass, a security measure strengthened after the shooting incident during a rally in Pennsylvania on the 13th of last month. Containers were stacked near the podium to block the view, and snipers were positioned on rooftops near the rally site, according to the Associated Press. Local media suggested that this rally was part of an effort to divert voters' attention from the Democratic National Convention (held from the 19th to the 22nd), which is effectively being held as the 'Harris coronation.' North Carolina, the rally location, is also a representative battleground state that could decide the outcome of the presidential election.

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

Especially, former President Trump appeared to be conscious of former President Obama's speech at the Democratic National Convention the previous night, raising the level of his attacks by asking the crowd, "Did you see Barack Hussein Obama's speech?" He said, "(Obama) was shooting at your president. Michelle (Michelle Obama) too," and added, "They always say, 'Stick to policy. Don't attack personally.' Yet they acted personally all night. Should I still stick to policy?" He openly expressed his dissatisfaction with the Obamas, who have criticized him.

He went further by making baseless claims. During his speech, former President Trump said, "Someone before me (as president) gave Russia the plans and specifications for America's hypersonic missile program, and Russia made it while we could not," adding, "That person might have been Barack Hussein Obama." Earlier, in an interview with CNN the day before, Trump had said about former President Obama, "I like him. I respect him and his wife."

Regarding the Democratic National Convention, which runs for four days until the 22nd, former President Trump dismissed it as a "blatant charade." He referred to his presidential rival, Vice President Harris, using a communist title, calling her "Comrade Kamala." He also said, "Under Comrade Kamala, the U.S. military has been exploited for radical social experiments," and promised, "On my first day in office, I will remove Critical Race Theory (CRT) and transgender madness from the military." He added, "Our warriors need to focus on defeating America's enemies," and said, "If you want to have sex change or social justice seminars, do it somewhere else. You cannot do that in the Army, Navy, Air Force, or any branch of the military."

Republican vice presidential candidate Senator J.D. Vance, who attended the rally, renewed allegations against his rival, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, accusing him of misrepresenting his service record in the Army National Guard and avoiding deployment to Iraq, and attacked, "What is it that Walz doesn't lie about?"