At a rally in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, former President Donald Trump broke from his speech to recognize a longtime supporter in the crowd, gesturing toward a man and two women nearby.
“I just spotted somebody. I didn’t know he was gonna be here,” Trump said, then inviting the man to stand. “Look at these two ladies, and this guy has been by their side from the beginning.” Trump noted that these supporters often take the place of “Front Row Joes”—a term used for dedicated fans who regularly attend his rallies.
While Trump’s remarks covered standard campaign themes, he added responses to recent statements made by his opponents. Referring to President Joe Biden‘s alleged description of Trump supporters as “garbage,” Trump said, “Joe Biden finally said what he really thinks of our supporters. He called them ‘garbage.’ Even though, without question, my supporters are far higher quality than crooked Joe’s.”
This comment aligned with Trump’s frequent criticisms of Biden, highlighting what he describes as a failure to connect with Americans. “My response is very simple: You can’t lead America if you don’t love Americans. You just can’t,” he stated.
Trump continued his speech by addressing his view on immigration policies, criticizing the current administration’s approach as harmful to American citizens.
“We know what they believe,” he said, adding, “Look at how they’ve treated you. They’ve treated you like garbage.” Throughout the campaign, Trump has emphasized a strict stance on immigration, often positioning himself as a defender of U.S. borders and citizen rights.
On economic issues, Trump mocked Harris’ proposals, calling them “the plans of a simpleton” and adding, “They’re not going to work.”
At one point, an audience member interrupted to criticize Vice President Kamala Harris, shouting, “She’s an idiot!” Trump responded with a smile, repeating, “He screams, ‘She’s an idiot,’ but I didn’t say it.”
Republican presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump acknowledges his audience at the conclusion of a campaign event at the Rocky Mount Event Center on October 30, 2024, in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. With less than a week until Election Day, Trump is campaigning for re-election in the battleground states of North Carolina and Wisconsin on Wednesday.
Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
He continued by showing a new rally feature: a video montage highlighting Harris mentioning him multiple times in a recent speech. After the clip, he remarked, “She suffers from a very serious disease known as Trump Derangement Syndrome,” suggesting many Democrats shared similar sentiments.
As he was wrapping up the rally, Trump claimed that his current campaign shows “even more enthusiasm” than during his 2016 and 2020 runs. He described Harris again as a “low IQ individual” and suggested his Democratic opponents are focused on “a campaign of hate, anger, and retribution,” contrasting it with what he said is his vision for the nation.
