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Donald Trump at rally in Lehigh Valley says democracy at stake in 2024 election

By The Citizen on April 13, 2024

In a fiery speech before a cheering crowd of thousands in Lehigh County, former President Donald Trump said democracy is at stake in the upcoming election — and it’s under siege because of current President Joe Biden.

“We’re going to defeat crooked Joe Biden and we’re going to make America great again,” Trump said.

During his speech at the Schnecksville Fire Co. fairgrounds, Trump blamed Biden for inflation, the war in Ukraine, the conflict in Israel and his own legal troubles.

Trump spoke hours after Iran launched missiles toward Israel in an escalation of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Trump claimed the attack never would have occurred if he were still in office.

“We will return the world to a peaceful state,” Trump said. “Today we are considered a joke. It’s not going to be for long.”

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Trump called on Biden to hold a presidential debate amid poll numbers that show the two candidates in a close race, and some giving Trump the lead.

Trump turned his own legal troubles — he has lost multiple civil lawsuits and faces more than 80 criminal charges on four indictments — into a “badge of honor,” falsely saying he’s been indicted “more times than Al Capone.”

“I’m being indicted for you,” he said to roars from the crowd.

Trump’s first criminal trial starts Monday in New York City, where he faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to hide payments to an adult film star. Trump, whose attorneys attempted to delay the trial, called it a “Biden trial.”

“On Monday in New York City, I will be forced to sit, fully gagged,” he said. “They want to take away my constitutional right to talk.”

The judge in the case has issued a gag order against Trump, preventing him from making public statements about probable trial witnesses related to the trial, or any comments about jurors, court staff, lawyers in the case or relatives of prosecutors or of the judge.

On inflation, Trump blamed Biden’s economic and climate policies, including Biden’s calls to increase electric vehicles and a pause on the export of liquefied natural gas.

“On Day 1, I would terminate ‘Crooked Joe’s’ insane electric vehicle mandate,” Trump said. “That’s gonna happen on Day 1. I will end Joe Biden’s natural gas export ban on behalf of the people of Pennsylvania.”

Saturday’s visit was Trump’s first to the Lehigh Valley of the 2024 cycle, and was one of two stops he made in Pennsylvania. Earlier in the day, he appeared at a fundraiser in Bucks County, where he was greeted by crowds of supporters.

Pennsylvania is considered to be a critical battleground state in the upcoming election, and both candidates are expected to make multiple visits in the coming months. Biden, who visited the Lehigh Valley in January, will be in Scranton, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia next week.

“Victory ‘24 runs through Pennsylvania,” said U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, R-9th District, calling the state “Trump Country.” “It runs through the Lehigh Valley.”

This story will be updated. 

‘I’m a Trumplican, not a Republican’: Thousands wait in milelong line for Trump rally at Lehigh Valley fairgrounds


Source: Berkshire mont

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