Donald Trump kicked a protester out of his rally Saturday night and responded to questions about his mental fitness by saying his “mind is stronger now than it was 25 years ago.”
About an hour into his campaign rally at Manchester's SNHU Arena, a man in the crowd shouted at the former president: “He's a dictator.”
“Get him out,” Trump said as security surrounded the man and removed him from the arena.
“Now we know that politics is getting serious,” Trump joked. He has joked that he would be a dictator “for just a day” if elected to the White House for a second term in December.
A second man, dressed in a white KKK outfit, was removed from the rally site before he could get into the crowd. A Chron photographer filmed him attempting to enter the arena, after which he was removed by security near the arena entrance.
Four days before the New Hampshire primary, Trump spoke to his MAGA supporters for nearly two hours. He escalated his attacks on Nikki Haley by bringing in a group of lawmakers from her home state of South Carolina to support him and mocked Ron DeSantis, saying, “I think he's gone.”
Donald Trump emphasized his mental fitness to become president during his rally
A protester is escorted by police during Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump's campaign rally at the SNHU Arena Manchester
A man who storms into the arena shouting, “The Klan supports Trump,” is arrested by security
He also hit out at Haley for questioning whether he was “mentally fit” to be president after apparently confusing her with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who Haley accused earlier in the day to have been in charge of security at the Capitol during the insurrection on January 6th.
“I feel like my spirit is stronger now than it was 25 years ago.” “Is that possible?” Trump said.
He also said he took another cognitive test in New Hampshire and “passed it with flying colors.”
He spent the first part of his rally doubling down on his attacks on Nikki Haley, calling out a group of lawmakers from her home state of South Carolina who had supported him and mocking Ron DeSantis by joking, “I think he's gone.” .'
In addition to criticizing his rivals, he called Joe Biden the “worst” president in U.S. history and ran through his long list of campaign promises, including protecting the southern border.
“I really want to get your vote,” Trump told the crowd.
He targeted Haley the hardest. The former South Carolina governor has seen some movement in the polls during her campaign in New Hampshire, although Trump still leads by double digits.
“Almost every South Carolina politician supports me.” “How do you do that when you're governor?” Trump said to Haley, who was the state's governor for six years.
He then brought in South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, the state's lieutenant governor and a number of other high-ranking officials, including the attorney general, treasurer and speaker of the House of Representatives. They were joined by state representatives Joe Wilson, William Timmons and Russell Fry.
“Do you know what I do? “I kiss a**,” Trump said, pointing out that South Carolina is the next primary in the Republican presidential contest.
McMaster told the cheering crowd and officers that the group was there “for a reason.”
“You heard that, those great philosophers, the Spice Girls.” Tell us what you want, what you really, really want. Well, that's exactly what we are here. “To tell you what we actually want, what we really really want,” he said.
After the rally, Trump campaign adviser Jason Miller told reporters that Haley needed to get out of the race and support Trump. He said polls show she doesn't know where to go to win the nomination.
“There is no place for Nikki Haley. “New polls show her trailing by 39 points in South Carolina,” Miller said, referring to South Carolina officials who supported Trump. State Senator Tim Scott endorsed Trump on Friday.
“Haley can’t get anywhere. After President Trump wins on Tuesday, Nikki Haley needs to get out.'
The man was removed from Trump's rally by law enforcement
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani attended Trump's rally and signed autographs for fans
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, right, points at Donald Trump
Trump, meanwhile, spent the evening on the attack, airing some of his old grievances, including his false accusation that the 2020 election was stolen from him and that the lawsuits against him made him a victim of the government's witch hunt.
He suffered multiple defeats against DeSantis, who was behind in the polls and left New Hampshire to campaign in South Carolina. DeSantis also canceled his scheduled appearances on the Sunday morning political shows.
“I haven’t even mentioned the name Ron DeSanctimonious — I think he’s gone,” Trump said as the crowd cheered.
Someone in the crowd yelled “loser.” “You didn’t just say that,” Trump joked as the audience laughed.
But he continued, saying of DeSantis: “From what I've heard, I think he'll be out pretty soon.”
He accused Haley of trying to “turn liberal voters into Republicans for like two minutes while they're voting and then turn them back into liberal voters.”
Trump has repeatedly accused Haley of trying to persuade New Hampshire Democrats to vote for her in the Republican primary.
“Nikki Haley is using Radical Democrat money to fund a Radical Democrat campaign that she runs,” he said.
“The reason the radical left Democrats are supporting Nikki Haley is because they know she's very easy to beat.” She's going to be very easy to beat. “She’s down,” Trump said.
In New Hampshire, more voters identify as “independent” — or unaffiliated — than as Republicans or Democrats.
These “independent” voters can choose which party they want to vote for in the primary, and Haley has courted this group hard.
Voters can also change their affiliation if they want to change the campaign in which they vote. However, the deadline for this was October, which means that no more changes are permitted.
Before the October deadline, about 3,500 Democrats in New Hampshire switched their party registration to independent, meaning they can vote in the Republican primary if they choose.
Trump spoke at the SNHU Arena in Manchester
Donald Trump leaves his rally after speaking for about two hours
Donald Trump endorsed Rep. Dean Philips (above), who is challenging President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination in the New Hampshire Democratic primary; Phillip campaigned in New Hampshire
Trump told his crowd of devoted supporters that they needed to stand up for him in droves on Tuesday.
“We need big margins because we have to convey real unity as a message. Because with real unity they will not be able to cheat,” he said.
The former president also referred to his immunity dispute with the Supreme Court. Trump argues that he should be immune from criminal prosecution if he is accused of plotting to overturn the 2020 election results because he was president at the time.
“So a president must be granted immunity, and that has nothing to do with me,” he said at his rally. “It has to do with every single president.” For example, if Biden drops out, I'll be the one with a list to follow. But you have to give a president immunity.'
He argued that without immunity, President Harry Truman would never have dropped an atomic bomb.
But he also bragged about his accusers, saying, “Every time the radical left Democrats accuse communists and fascists against me, I consider it a great honor.”
Trump also took an unusual step at his rally. He endorsed Rep. Dean Philips, who is challenging President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination in the New Hampshire Democratic primary.
“I think Democrats should vote for the congressman just to send a signal,” he said of Phillips.
He then announced his own endorsement, remarking to Phillips, “He just won a lot of votes, by the way.”