Trump talks about shooting reporters and says he shouldn’t have left the White House in 2020

LITITZ, Pa. (AP) — Donald Trump Two days before the presidential election, he delivered a vulgar and conspiracy-laden speech in which he mentioned shooting reporters and suggested he “shouldn’t have left” the White House after losing to Democrat Joe Biden in 2020.

In remarks Sunday that were more rambling than usual, the former president resurrected old grievances about prosecution after trying to distract from his defeat four years ago. He stepped up his attacks on “grossly incompetent” national leadership and the U.S. media, at one point during his rally in Pennsylvania focusing on the topic of violence against members of the press.

The Republican Party’s White House nominee pointed to the ballistic glass placed in front of him during the events following the July attack attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and Trump talked about where he saw gaps in that protection.

“I have this piece of glass here,” he said. “But all we really have here is fake news. To get me, someone would have to sift through fake news. And it doesn’t bother me too much.”

This is the second time in recent days that Trump has talked about pointing a gun at people he considers enemies he suggested former Republican Party member Liz Cheney, a prominent critic of the Republican Party, would not be willing to support foreign wars if “nine barrels shot at her.”

His comments also reflect that less than 48 hours before Election Day, Trump continued to spread lies about the election and argued that Harris could only lose to Democrat Kamala if he was cheated, even though polls showed a tight race.

Some of his allies, especially former chief strategist Steve Bannon, encouraged him to declare victory prematurely on Tuesday, even if it is still too early to call the race. That’s what Trump did four years ago, beginning a process of challenging the election results that culminated in the insurrection at the Capitol on January 6, 2021.

His campaign later sought to clarify what he meant by the media.

“President Trump brilliantly talked about two attempts on his life, including one that came within a quarter of an inch of killing him, which the media constantly talks about and jokes about,” campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement. “The President’s statement regarding the placement of protective glass has nothing to do with harming the media or anything else.”

HarrisMeanwhile, he told a church congregation in Michigan on Sunday that God offers America “a divine plan strong enough to heal divisions.”

Late in the campaign, the two main candidates struck very different tones as Harris said voters could reject “chaos, fear and hate.”

She focused on Michigan, starting the day with several hundred parishioners at the Greater Emmanuel Institutional Church of God in Christ in Detroit. It was the fourth straight Sunday that Harris, who is Baptist, addressed a black congregation, reflecting the critical attitude of black voters in many battleground states.

“I see faith at work in extraordinary ways,” she said in remarks in which she quoted the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah. “I see a nation determined to turn the page on hatred and division and forge a new path forward. As I travel, I see Americans from so-called red and blue states who are ready to bend the arc of history toward justice.”

She never mentioned Trump, though she will certainly return to her more conventionally partisan speech during stops later Sunday. But Harris told her friendly audience that “there are those who seek to deepen division, sow hatred, spread fear and cause chaos.” The election and “this moment in our nation,” she continued, “must be about more than just partisan politics. It has to be about good work that we can do together.”

Harris finished her speech in about 11 minutes – starting and ending during Trump’s roughly 90-minute speech at a chilly outdoor rally in Pennsylvania.

Trump tends to move from topic to topic, a a discursive style he called “weaving”. But outside the Lancaster airport, he spoke at length and made almost no mention of his usual remarks on the economy, immigration and routine criticism of Harris.

Trump also referred to John Bolton, his former national security adviser and now fierce critic, as “the stupid son of Ab…”. He repeated well-known and debunked theories about voter fraud, arguing that Democrats can only win by cheating. Public polls point to a tight and competitive race among battleground states that will determine the Electoral College result.

“It’s a fake country,” Trump said. “And we will fix it. We’ll fix it.”

Harris dismissed Trump’s portrayal of the U.S. election, telling reporters after the service that Trump’s comments “are intended to distract from the fact that in our country we have and support free and fair elections.” Harris said these “good systems” were in place in 2020 and he “lost.”

The vice president said she had confidence in the upcoming vote count and urged voters, “particularly those who have not yet voted, to not fall for this tactic, which I believe includes suggesting to people that if they vote, their vote will not be will matter. “

Separately, the vice president tacitly acknowledged that Michigan has a significant Arab American population and Arab American voters who are angry with the Biden administration for continuing the U.S. alliance with Israel during the Netanyahu government’s war with Hamas in Gaza.

“I have made it clear that the level of death of innocent Palestinians is unacceptable,” Harris told reporters Sunday after the service. “We must end the war and release the hostages. As president of the United States, I will do everything in my power to achieve that goal.”

Trump, for his part, admitted that he deviated from his usual approach in his conspiratorial speech. He repeatedly recalled how he disregarded the advice of his colleagues, mockingly presenting their side of the story and insisting that he talk about voter fraud.

Campaign co-manager Susie Wiles, who has long been credited with bringing order to Trump’s often chaotic political activities, silently watched the former president from the stage.

Trump at one point suggested he wouldn’t give that version of his speech again: “I hope you liked it,” he said, “because I’m only doing it once.”

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Superville reported from Detroit, Barrow from Washington and Cooper from Phoenix.