Donald Trump is no stranger to accusations that he has little regard for the well-being of his rallygoers. On Sunday, he added fuel to that fire.
The ex-president was in Las Vegas, Nevada for a summertime rally in the searing heat — high temperatures on the strip were projected to be around 103 degrees Fahrenheit. Trump himself hosted an outdoor rally in the city’s Sunset Park, where thousands of fans poured in to see him.
At several points in the rally, he addressed the heat, quipping to supporters that his campaign told attendees: “do not come,” which he then bragged resulted in “only 20,000” showing up.
But it was one moment wherein Trump remarked in jest that he only cared about his fans’ votes, not his supporters as people.
“I don't want anybody going on me. We need every voter,” he said. “I don't care about you. I just want your vote.”
As his supporters laughed, Trump then went on to say that reporters attending the rally would take his words out of context and tell viewers that the ex-president had said a “horrible” thing onstage.
Trump: Do you feel the breeze? I don't want anybody going on me. We need every voter. I don't care about you. I just want your vote. I don't care. pic.twitter.com/IirvQs123c
— Acyn (@Acyn) June 9, 2024
Despite his humor, the ex-presiden’t couldn’t resist complaining about the heat as his rally went on.
“It's 110, but it doesn't feel it to me,” Trump said. “I'm up here sweating like a dog. They don’t think about me. This is hard work.”
Trump: it's 110, but it doesn't feel it to me, right. If anybody goes down. Everybody was so worried yesterday about you and they never mentioned me. I'm up here sweating like a dog. They don’t think about me. This is hard work. pic.twitter.com/vEyJYBhJfo
— Acyn (@Acyn) June 9, 2024
It likely did not hit 110 degrees during Trump’s rally on Sunday, though similar temperatures were reached in the city only a few days ago. The ex-president did spend the entire speech, however, in his trademark heavy coat and tie, perhaps contributing to the short runtime of his remarks — under an hour. After the rally concluded, local media reports found that nearly two dozen rallygoers had been treated onsite for medical issues resulting from the heat, while six ended up going to the hospital.
Climate Power, a stratcom firm which boosts Democrats’ messaging on climate and environmental issues, attacked the ex-president in a statement after the rally.
“Donald Trump is openly telling people that he’s only out for himself. He’s making promises to Big Oil executives who are fueling the climate crisis while people are passing out at his rallies from very real, very dangerous heatwaves that he says are caused by a hoax,” argued comms director Alex Glass.
Trump spent much of the speech insulting America’s immigrant population and describing incoming immigrants and asylum-seekers as criminals, mentally unstable, and “not productive” members of society. The presumptive Republican nominee rejected his opponent’s attempts to address border security via executive order as “bulls***” and claimed without explanation that it would actually increase illegal immigration.
His campaign rally went decidedly better than his recent appearance at the Libertarian Party’s national convention in Washington DC. His most recent visit to the nation’s capital, in late May, the speech was something of a shock for the former president who was loudly booed by delegates throughout the event.
Polling shows Trump leading President Joe Biden in Nevada, where the incumbent president won victory four years ago.
