Donald Trump likened himself to late South African President and anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandel – while also fantasizing about punching President Biden – during a spirited campaign rally in New Hampshire on Monday.
Trump – who is fighting accusations that he tried to derail the 2020 US presidential election – has hinted that he is not worried about the threat of being thrown in jail like Mandela, who spent years in prison for his opposition to apartheid in his country.
“If you want to challenge the results of the election, they’re going to come after you,” Trump lamented during an event in Derry after officially filing to enter the state’s GOP presidential primary race.
“But we’re not afraid — we’re not. I’ll tell you, I don’t mind being Nelson Mandela, because I’m doing it for a reason,” Trump said.
The former president was happy with the support given to him receive in a situation where he enjoyed a 30-point advantage against his Republican foe.
Donald Trump is greeted by supporters wearing MAGA hats in New Hampshire on Monday.REUTERS
The 77-year-old former president faces a total of 91 criminal charges, including four for alleged subversiveness of the 2020 federal election and 13 for allegedly interfering with the 2020 Georgia election.
If he is convicted, Trump could be imprisoned for the rest of his life. Trump, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him, has previously insisted that he is willing to serve a prison sentence to save the country.
“I’m willing to go to jail if that’s what it takes for our country to win and become a democracy again,” Trump declared at a rally in Clive, Iowa, last week.
Despite lamenting his legal woes in New Hampshire, Trump is content with favorable poll numbers compared to his 2024 GOP peers.
“Bad things are happening, but we keep improving,” Trump said.
The embattled former president likens his problems to those of former South African leader and civil rights activist Nelson Mandela. Corbis via Getty Images Trump talks with New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan, left, as he signs papers Monday to enter the 2024 Republican presidential primary undiAP
Sticking to his dark tone about the country’s current trajectory under President Biden, Trump also appeared to be fantasizing about giving the sitting president a knuckle sandwich.
He recalled how Biden once quipped, “I’ll take it [Trump] behind the gym and beat him” if they were in high school, referencing Trump’s allegedly derogatory comments about women.
“I dreamed of that. You know what I’m going to do with him?” Trump asked the crowd as he threw a few light punches in the air while making a sound effect.” I had hit him right on the fake nose. He would have plastic strewn all over the floor.”
Trump also blasted Biden for angering North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, with whom the former president once touted his cordial relationship.
“Kim Jong Un of North Korea has incredible nuclear capabilities. Everyone felt safe when I was president. You’re going to have nuclear war if Hillary Clinton is there,” Trump said, referring to the former first lady and former Democratic presidential candidate he famously defeated in a stunning upset to take the White House in 2016.
Trump leads New Hampshire in poll by more than 30 points.AP
At one point during the tumultuous campaign, Trump brought together the leaders of Turkey and Hungary.
“I am very pleased, there is a man, Viktor Orbán. He is the leader of Turkey,” Trump said.
Orbán is the prime minister of Hungary. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is the president of Turkey.
Trump joins a growing list of 2024 GOP peers who have filed for the New Hampshire state primary, the filing deadline of which is Friday
GOP Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is the first major candidate to file in the early state and is set to return Tuesday for a full day of visits with Republican Gov. Chris Sununu. The date for the actual primary school has not yet been set.
Fellow Republicans former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Vice President Mike Pence and conservative entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy have all filed in the Granite State.
Trump walked down the aisle before filling out paperwork to register for the New Hampshire GOP primary and paying a $1,000 filing fee.AP
Haley’s campaign hit Trump before he left for New Hampshire on Monday morning, pointing to reports that his camp did not pay for a local police presence while he traveled. His campaign said he paid for local police security cover for himself.
“The Trump campaign owes $3,788 to law enforcement in Concord, NH, and $12,870 in Manchester, NH. If Trump refuses to pay, the cost will be borne by hard-working New Hampshire taxpayers,” Haley’s campaign said in a statement titled “Haley to Trump: Fund the Police.”
The Trump campaign did not respond to Haley’s allegations.
Speaking to reporters while handing out his paperwork for the primary ahead of his campaign event in Derry, Trump briefly weighed in on the speaker impasse that has gripped House Republicans.
Trump played down reports of friction with House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), one of nine Republicans vying for the speaker’s gavel. Emmer has refused to support efforts to confirm the 2020 election, and Trump allies have reportedly circulated opposition research on him.
“He’s my biggest fan right now because he called me yesterday and told me he’s my biggest fan,” Trump told reporters. “I try to avoid that as much as possible.”
Earlier this month, Trump thought about taking over temporarily as speaker but has since seemingly abandoned the idea.
“There is only one person who can make it all the way. Do you know who that is? Prophet Jesus. If Jesus came down and said, ‘I want to be Speaker,’ he would do it. Other than that I’ve never seen anyone who can vouch for it,” Trump joked.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
