Donald Trump’s recent campaign rally in Wildwood, New Jersey, featured controversial remarks regarding his stance on pro-Palestine protests on college campuses, Israel’s conflict in Gaza, and environmental policies.
Trump pledged to take a hardline approach against what he termed as “violent radicals” on college campuses, vowing to deport individuals promoting jihadism, anti-Americanism, or antisemitism.
Trump alleged that these campus protests were funded by President Biden’s political donors, echoing a debunked claim. He also criticized Biden’s decision to withhold a shipment of bombs to Israel, characterizing it as a betrayal of an American ally.
The rally, attended by tens of thousands, also saw Trump lambasting Biden’s environmental policies, particularly the Environmental Protection Agency’s guidelines on increasing electric vehicles on the roads, which Trump labeled as “insane.”
In a bizarre tangent, Trump praised the fictional character Hannibal Lecter from the 1991 horror film “The Silence of the Lambs,” while discussing immigration issues. This isn’t the first time he’s referenced Lecter during a campaign, having previously done so in Iowa.
The rally occurred between the fourth week of Trump’s hush money trial, where he faces charges related to falsifying business records concerning payments to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. Daniels herself testified during the trial, facing cross-examination from Trump’s legal team.