Donald Trump held a raucous rally before an enthusiastic crowd in North Carolina on Saturday, denouncing the criminal charges against him and describing himself as a “proud political dissident” as he battles allegations of election interference and mishandling of classified documents.
The rally came just hours after Trump took to Truth Social to post about what he called Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis' “SEXCAPADES” as a judge weighs whether to take action in the Georgia election interference case should be disqualified.
In the all-caps post on Truth Social Saturday morning, Trump wrote, “Where did Fani get all the money?” There was no way she was paying anything back to her lover, “Prosecutor” Nathan Wade. She made up the cash story when she realized her “sexcapades” were being paid for by the people of Georgia. AGAIN: WHERE IS THE CASH AND WHERE DOES IT COME FROM?
He repeated his accusations during the Greensboro rally, suggesting that Willis benefited financially from a romantic relationship with Wade. Willis firmly rejected these claims in court.
Trump also took aim at special counsel Jack Smith, who brought charges against him for mishandling classified documents and election interference, calling Smith “deranged” but claiming, “We are harming him.”
Earlier this week, the Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments in April on whether the former president enjoys immunity from prosecution in election interference cases.
And on Friday, Florida's district judge expressed skepticism about the July timeline Smith had requested in the case over classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago.
Trump rejected the criminal charges against him, claiming without evidence that they were not 91 charges, that they were not legitimate, that they were Biden charges, and urged that all charges should be dropped.
Trump said the impeachment was a “great badge of honor” and told his supporters he was doing it for them.
“I stand before you today not only as your past, but hopefully as your future president, as a proud political dissident and as an enemy of the state of a rogue regime,” Trump said.
Trump speaks in Greensboro, North Carolina, just days before voters in the state go to the polls on Super Tuesday. During his speech, Trump took aim at special counsel Jack Smith and Fulton County Prosecutor Fanni Willis over the cases against him
Trump's visit to North Carolina comes ahead of Super Tuesday, when Republican voters in the Tar Heel State head to the polls to cast their votes in the presidential primary.
North Carolina is one of fifteen states hosting Republican caucuses on March 5, with 854 delegates up for grabs.
At the rally, Trump also vowed to “seal the border,” stepping up his fearmongering by describing in grisly detail crimes committed by migrants and blaming President Biden, just days after he and Biden had dueling visits to the southern border .
Ahead of the rally at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex, the line of Trump supporters in their MAGA gear snaked through the parking lot hours before the former president's remarks.
Trump supporters line up to attend the former president's campaign rally in Greensboro, North Carolina. Voters in North Carolina head to the polls on Tuesday to cast their ballots in the presidential primary
Trump supporters hold signs for the former president before his speech in Greensboro
Nikki Haley at her rally Friday night in Charlotte. She also held a rally in Raleigh on Saturday ahead of the state's primary election on Tuesday
Nikki Haley, Trump's only Republican opponent still in the presidential primary race, was also in North Carolina, where she held a rally in Charlotte on Friday evening and an event in Raleigh on Saturday.
Trump continues to gain momentum as he has won every Republican primary so far, including Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, South Carolina and Michigan. He currently has 155 delegates and his campaign expects to secure the nomination with the required 1,215 delegates within the next two weeks.
On Saturday, Trump won the Republican primary in Missouri, which he announced at the rally.
Early voting in North Carolina ended Saturday afternoon. The state is holding a partially closed elementary school. Registered Republicans can vote, as can independent voters who choose a Republican ballot.
A second rally is planned for Trump on Saturday evening in Virginia, another state with a primary election on Tuesday.
North Carolina is also one of the most closely contested states in the November election.
“The road to the White House goes straight through North Carolina,” Republican gubernatorial candidate and current Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson said Saturday.
Ahead of the former president's event, the Biden campaign released a statement from Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper saying that the November election was “between President Biden, who wakes up every day thinking about the American people, and Donald Trump.” “Who wakes up every day and thinks about 'falling himself.'
Trump won the state by fewer than 75,000 votes against Biden in November 2020.