Former President Donald Trump addressed his supporters on Friday evening in Harrisburg, Pa., where he criticized the current administration’s stance on gun rights, advocated for criminal penalties for Biden officials neglecting border duties, and made jibes about the president’s age. Trump also dismissed his own legal proceedings as politically motivated.
Speaking at the National Rifle Association’s Great American Outdoor Show in Harrisburg, Trump rallied a large and fervent crowd. Initially promising to overturn Biden’s gun control measures, he swiftly shifted focus to the immigration crisis.
Trump remarked, “If the Senate wants to enact meaningful border legislation, they should impose criminal penalties on senior Biden officials failing to uphold existing laws.”
Donald Trump (Credits: National Review)
His statement followed the House’s failure to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for alleged deliberate non-compliance with the law, narrowly missing the required majority.
Under the Biden administration, the influx of illegal immigrants into the country has reached unprecedented levels. Border Patrol reported over 300,000 encounters at the Southern border in December, marking an increase of nearly 50,000 from the previous year. Last year, agents encountered a record-breaking 2.4 million migrants overall.
As tensions over the border crisis persist, Congress continues its deliberations on a fragmented border bill, which Senate Republicans recently blocked.
The proposed bill grants the president authority to refuse entry to illegal aliens once daily crossings exceed certain thresholds. Critics argue it institutionalizes executive leniency already permitted under existing law.
Trump criticized the administration’s inaction and the contentious border legislation during his NRA speech, stating, “They don’t need a bill! The president can simply say, ‘Close the borders!’ This bill is a sham—a terrible idea that will exacerbate the situation.”
He then touted his own stringent approach to illegal immigration, earning applause from the audience.
Trump also referenced Biden’s recent press conference, where concerns over the president’s age were evident. Biden faced scrutiny following a special counsel report stating his memory was too impaired to stand trial for mishandling classified information. Notably, Biden struggled to recall key details, including his years as Vice President and his son Beau’s death.
Trump criticized the perceived double standard in his own legal proceedings, characterizing it as selective prosecution driven by political bias.
While expressing confidence about winning Pennsylvania in 2024 despite losing it in 2020, Trump cited encouraging feedback from local supporters.
His address, spanning nearly ninety minutes, resonated with the enthusiastic Pennsylvania audience.
