LIVE UPDATES
Donald Trump took center stage for nearly two hours on Saturday at his first rally since an attempt on his life, delivering a passionate and meandering speech to thousands of devoted supporters.
Here are five key points from the message conveyed by the Republican presidential nominee for the United States:
- Dismissing the 2020 election as stolen - Last week's Republican National Convention notably downplayed Trump's false claims about the 2020 election being stolen from him. However, during his return to the campaign trail on Saturday, Trump openly reiterated his belief that the election was rigged by the Radical Left Democrats. He called for a landslide victory in 2024 that would be impossible to rig and accused some states of moving ballots around in wheelbarrows. He also urged early voters to ensure the integrity of their votes and rallied the crowd to "Fight, fight, fight."
2. Denial of extremism - Trump once again distanced himself from Project 2025, a controversial manifesto characterized by opponents as an authoritarian, right-wing agenda. He rejected claims of being an extremist and criticized the hardline Heritage Foundation for creating an extreme blueprint to reshape the federal government in his likeness.
3. The speech contained references to his post-assassination attempt actions and comments made before the 2021 Capitol riot, where he urged his supporters to "fight like hell."
4. Trump's persistent lies about the 2020 election being stolen were on full display during his rally, despite efforts to downplay them at the Republican National Convention.
5. The rally showcased Trump's continued defiance and unwillingness to back down from his baseless claims about voter fraud and election rigging.
