At a campaign rally in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, Donald Trump began his speech with a lengthy tribute to golf legend Arnold Palmer, who was born in the town and became a sports icon. Despite expectations that Trump would use the rally to deliver a strong closing argument for his 2024 presidential bid, he instead launched into a 12-minute homage to Palmer. Trump praised Palmer’s accomplishments and even made an awkward comment about Palmer’s physique, mentioning a locker room anecdote and describing him as “all man,” while acknowledging the presence of women in the audience. He mused about how much more fun the rally would have been if Palmer, who passed away in 2016, were still alive to join him on stage.
Trump eventually shifted his speech to his typical campaign points, but he didn’t offer much new content. He focused on his past achievements, including his tax policies and strengthening the military during his first term. He also made sharp attacks on Vice President Kamala Harris, calling her “crazy” and using profanity to criticize her vice presidency. Trump urged the audience to reject Harris and added a mocking, “Kamala, you’re fired.”
Trump further criticized Harris for her previous support of a ban on hydraulic fracking, a significant issue for Pennsylvania’s economy, though her campaign later walked back that position.
During the rally, Trump invited members of a local steelworkers’ union that endorsed him on stage and wore a construction hat with his name on it. He also claimed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had recently praised him during a call regarding Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hamas. Trump took the opportunity to criticize President Joe Biden, saying Netanyahu wouldn’t listen to him.
The rally, held at an outdoor airport venue, saw Trump comment on the heightened security measures around him following what he claimed were two assassination attempts. He pointed to the numerous security personnel present and tied it back to Palmer’s legacy, joking that the security detail looked like “Arnold.”
